HC Deb 05 February 1971 vol 810 cc478-83W
Mr. Prescott

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which maritime trade unions or associations were consulted about the decision to grant dispensation to certain vessels from the requirement to carry radio officers, and when; and which maritime unions were not consulted.

Mr. Noble

There was consultation and discussion with the Radio and Electronic Officers Union and the Merchant Navy and Airline Officers' Association between the years 1965 to 1968. Records of these discussions were sent to the Mercantile Marine Services Association and the National Union of Seamen.

Mr. Prescott

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the estimated range limits of radio telephone equipment to be placed on their vessels in both the best and worst technical receiving conditions; where are the necessary stations for such radio telephone communications along the coast between the Tyne and London; and what are the land distances between them.

Mr. Noble

It is not possible to quantify range limits. Main radio-telephone equipment is designed to meet the normal range of 150 miles as laid down in the Safety of Life at Sea Convention, 1960. The distances between the Post Office stations between the Tyne and London are: Cullercoats to Humber 118 miles, Humber to North Foreland 124 miles.

Mr. Prescott

asked the Secretry of State for Trade and Industry when his Department first received representations from the shipping industry requesting dispensation from carrying radio officers in certain trades; when the request was granted; on what grounds it was granted; and what evidence was produced to substantiate their request, particularly the economic effect of foreign competition.

Mr. Noble

The shipping industry first requested the dispensation in January, 1965, and it was granted in November, 1970. In granting this dispensation the Department was concerned only with safety considerations. Mr. Prescott asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether those vessels between 1,600 and 3,000 gross tons granted dispensation from the requirement to carry radio officers while on the North Sea Coastal coal trade will be allowed to sail outside the home trade limits on either foreign or middle trade articles without a radio officer.

Mr. Noble

The vessels in question will not be allowed to sail outside the North-East Coast coal trade limits without a radio officer.

Mr. Prescott

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, before any other such areas are designated for further dispensation from the requirement to carry a radio operator, he will enter into full discussion with the representatives of all maritime unions.

Mr. Noble

I will continue to consult the appropriate unions about such matters.

Mr. Prescott

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the minimum manning of both officers and ratings to be observed on those vessels granted dispensation from carrying a radio officer; and who will be responsible for those duties normally carried out by radio officers, such as general maintenance of electrical equipment, radar, radio weather reporting, handling of commercial radio traffic, paperwork and the determination of the vessel's navigational position or another vessel in distress by the use of direction finding radio equipment.

Mr. Noble

There are at present no minimum manning scales for officers and ratings for cargo ships engaged in the United Kingdom coastal trade. In a ship granted dispensation from carrying a radio officer his duties would be undertaken, as necessary, by the master, deck officers and engineer officers.

Mr. Prescott

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what instruction he gave the British delegation to the recent International Maritime Consultative Organisation discussions on the proposals that radio officers be removed from vessels trading on the coasts of the North Sea, English Channel, Irish Sea, Baltic, Mediterranean, Adriatic, Black Sea and the coasts of Australia; and if, in further discussions on these matters, he will undertake to support the majority of other nations that oppose this proposal.

Mr. Noble

The United Kingdom considered that it was premature to consider a general proposal for radio-telephony based on areas of operations of ships. The United Kingdom's policy in future discussions will depend upon the circumstances then prevailing.

Mr. Prescott

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review his decision to grant dispensation from the requirement to carry radio officers, in view of the increasing amount of collisions taking place around British congested sea lanes caused by the switch to radio telephone communication, which cannot handle more than one disaster call or ascertain the position of vessels in disasters and requires the use of a common language, instead of wireless telegraphy.

Mr. Noble

I do not accept that the dispensation entails any degradation in safety standards on ships engaged in the restricted voyages of the North-East Coast coal trade.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations he has received, and from whom, since he announced his decision on 5th November to allow colliers on the North-East Coast to dispense with wireless transmission equipment and radio officers.

Mr. Noble

Representations have been received from the Radio and Electronic Officers Union and the International Transport Workers Federation.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what considerations have been submitted to him to alter the view submitted by the United Kingdom in its evidence to the Fourth Session of the International Marine Commission Organisation Sub-Committee on Radiocommunication in March, 1968 on the difficulties associated with radio telephone distress frequency of 2,182 kilocycles in respect of vessels between 1,600–3,000 tons engaged in the North-East Coast coal trade.

Mr. Noble

The views expressed by the United Kingdom to the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organisation were in the context of the use of 2182 kHz in the marine radio distress network generally, and were not related to ships engaged in the restricted voyages of the North-East Coast coal trade.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why he agreed on 5th November, 1970 to grant a dispensation to allow vessels between 1,600–3,000 tons engaged in the North-East coal trade to sail without wireless transmission installations and radio officers.

Mr. Noble

Because for these restricted voyages the dispensation would involve no degradation in safety standards.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the Radio and Electronic Officers Union was not asked for their observations before granting the dispensation to colliers on the North-East Coast to dispense with wireless transmission equipment and radio officers.

Mr. Noble

The Radio and Electronic Officers Union was consulted about the matter during the years 1965 to 1968.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how his Department intend to approach the Area of Operations concept, the use of radio telephone by fishing vessels in selected fishing areas; and what areas he is suggesting for this operation.

Mr. Noble

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I have given today to the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, East (Mr. Prescott) about the "area of operations" concept. The use of radio-telephony or radiotelegraphy by fishing vessels in different areas will be discussed by the working group set up to produce new radio rules for fishing vessels.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many vessels carrying only radio telephone equipment have been involved in shipping accidents, collisions and losses on the North-East coast in the past five years; and how many lives have been lost.

Mr. Noble

The Department's records do not readily provide the information requested, which could be obtained only with the expenditure of undue time and effort.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what fresh evidence was submitted by the British Shipping Federation to the Department of Trade and Industry since January 1968 which enabled him to grant a dispensation to colliers on the North-East Coast to dispense with wireless telegraphy installations and radio officers.

Mr. Noble

No fresh evidence was submitted since 1968 but all the evidence which had been submitted up to that time was carefully taken into account before the decision was taken to grant the dispensation.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many vessels qualify to take advantage of his dispensation to allow vessels between 1,600 to 3,000 tons on the North-East coal trade to sail without wireless telegraphy equipment and radio officers; how many have applied; and in how many has the wireless telegraphy equipment been removed.

Mr. Noble

Probably less than 20. So far there have been no applications for individual dispensation and no such ships have been allowed to sail without radiotelegraphy equipment.