§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the extent of non-compliance with vehicle construction and use regulations in respect of motor vehicle emissions in each of the last five years. [3472]
§ Mr. NorrisThe extent of non-compliance with emissions standards in the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 is assessed in terms of prohibitions issued by the Vehicle Inspectorate after vehicle enforcement checks, which are targeted on vehicles thought most likely to be defective.
The figures for the last three years, in respect of emissions, are as follows:
§ Mr. Norris[holding answer 29 November 1995]: The Government welcome the outcome of the IMO conference, which has agreed significant amendments to the safety of life at sea convention.
On the ability of a ship to withstand a significant amount of water on the car deck, the conference passed a resolution which paves the way for regional agreements applying the high SOLAS 90 plus 50 cm of water on the car deck standard recommended by IMO's panel of experts established after the Estonia.
We fully support this resolution and the future application of the SOLAS 90 plus 50 cm standard, through a regional agreement, to all ro-ro passenger 65W ferries serving our ports. We will shortly be initiating, with other northern European states, discussion of such a regional agreement.
The amendments to the convention introduced a wide range of safety improvements including enhanced life-saving equipment, evacuation requirements, search-and-rescue procedures and the extension of the SOLAS 90 survivability standard to all existing ro-ro ferries worldwide.