§ Patrick MercerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what responsibility(a) his Department and (b) Transec will have for maritime security under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code; [163578]
(2) what responsibility he will have for maritime security under the terms of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. [163579]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Department for Transport is the Designated Authority to oversee the implementation and compliance of the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code in the United Kingdom.
Reporting directly to the Secretary of State, the Department for Transport's Transport Security Directorate (Transec) has the policy lead and is responsible for introducing the ISPS Code requirements to approximately 600 UK port facilities and over 600 UK flagged ships by the deadline of the I July 2004. Operationally Transec is responsible for UK ports and passenger shipping, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has been delegated responsibility for non-passenger shipping, under a policy framework set by Transec.