§ Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for regulating the carriage of hazardous or noxious cargoes with the aim of minimising the risks of spillage following a shipping casualty.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantStatutory control of the carriage of dangerous goods in ships is exercised through the Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods) Rules, 1965, as amended by S.I. No. 332, 1968. The problem of pollution is one for multilateral solution through existing international organisations. Her Majesty's Government have been active in the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation which, in relation to very large oil tankers, has developed proposals for the limitation of tank sizes and in relation to new ships designed to carry chemicals in bulk, has completed a code of safe construction. In all this work the basic concept has been one of safety of containment.