§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if ferries operating from United Kingdom ports are required to have self-righting inflatable life rafts. [20601]
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§ Ms Glenda Jackson[holding answer 12 December 1997]: In accordance with the 1995 amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, either self righting liferafts or canopied reversible liferafts must be fitted to all new ro-ro passenger ferries after 1 July 1998 and to existing ships at their first periodical survey after 1 July 2000.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those ferries operating to and from United Kingdom ports which meet the SOLAS 90 and SOLAS 95 standards and the dates that they are expected to comply with these standards. [20598]
§ Ms Glenda Jackson[holding answer 12 December 1997]: The SOLAS '90 stability requirements were overtaken by the requirements of the Stockholm Agreement which came into force on 1 April 1997. The Agreement, allowed under a resolution adopted by the 1995 Conference to amend the SOLAS Convention, specifies a stability standard for ferries operating to and from ports in North West Europe and the Baltic Sea, higher than that specified in the revised Convention for application worldwide. The Marine Safety Agency (MSA) published a list showing compliance dates on 1 April 1997. Other 1995 amendments to the SOLAS Convention, not related to stability, are currently being implemented in the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list all accidents involving United Kingdom-registered ferries during the last three years. [20597]
§ Ms Glenda Jackson[holding answer 12 December 1997]: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch, which was established in 1989, investigates accidents to United Kingdom ships or other vessels in United Kingdom territorial waters. If appropriate, a report of the investigation is published. Two reports have been published of investigations of accidents involving UK registered ferries in the last three years, as follows:
Nature of accident Ferry company Date of accident Stranding Stena Sealink 19 September 1995 Heavy weather damage P and O Euro Ferries (Portsmouth) 14 December 1995 Other accidents to ferries which have been subject to inspectors' investigation in the same period are:
Nature of accident Ferry company Date of accident Heavy weather damage P and O Euro Ferries (Felix) Ltd. 21 February 1996 Collision and contacts Red Funnel Group 9 March 1997 Other more minor accidents have also been reported to MAIB during the period.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those ferries operating to and from United Kingdom ports which meet the safety standards set down in the Stockholm Agreement; and, for those that do not meet the standards, what the date is for compliance. [20599]
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§ Ms Glenda Jackson[holding answer 12 December 1997]: The list was published on 1 April 1997. A revised list will be published, following the current ferry refit season, on 1 April 1998.