§ Lord KENNETasked Her Majesty's Government:
1142WAWhat, in pounds sterling, is the maximum liability of the companies which are to operate liquefied gas carriers into Mossmoran/Braefoot Bay in the event of accidental or negligent spills and/or explosions for vessels: (a) up to 20,000 tons, (b) between 20,000 and 50,000 tons, (c) between 50,000 and 100,000 tons, and (d) above 100,000 tons.
§ Lord TREFGARNEWhere damage arose from his actual fault or privity, a shipowner or operator's potential liability would be unlimited. In other cases, liability could at present be limited, pursuant to international law, to £127 .05 per ship's limitation ton, or £40 .98 per limitation ton if only property claims were involved. For a ship of 20,000 tons, the limit of liability would therefore be slightly over £2½ million (£0 .8 million in respect of property claims alone); for one of 50,000 tons, £6 .35 million (£2 .05 million) and for one of 100,000 tons, £12 .7 million (£4 .1 million). These limits will be substantially increased once the 1976 London Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims enters into force.
House adjourned at eight minutes past nine o'clock.