§ Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will introduce regulations to make compulsory on United Kingdom registered ships and foreign ships visiting United Kingdom ports the use of safety nets whenever gangways, accommodation ladders and 20W portable access ladders are in use; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will take action to ensure that all United Kingdom registered ships and foreign ships visiting United Kingdom ports have suitable access equipment;
(3) how many United Kingdom registered ships were inspected and detained by his Department's surveyors for failing to carry access equipment required under current regulations in each of the years 1976 to 1979 and up to the present time in the current year.
§ Mr. TebbitMy Department is consulting shipowners and seafarers' trade unions on proposed regulations requiring the carriage of gangways and the carriage and use of safety nets on all United Kingdom registered merchant ships over 30 metres in length. As regards foreign ships visiting United Kingdom ports, it is proposed to take powers to:
- i. prohibit the continued use of any access equipment or to prohibit access without equipment where there is a clear hazard to safety; or
- ii. detain the ship pending the replacement or repair of any ship-borne access equipment the use of which would be clearly hazardous to safety.
Until these regulations are made, marine surveyors have no powers to inspect or detain a ship for failing to carry access equipment.
§ Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the number of accidents, and the number of persons killed or injured in consequence, which occurred in United Kingdom registered ships and foreign ships visiting United Kingdom ports, respectively, which were due to defects in access equipment in each of the years 1976 to 1979 and up to the present time in the current year; and if he will specify the principal defects observed.
§ Mr. TebbitI regret that the information is not available. However, my Department has published detailed proposals for a new statutory comprehensive accident reporting system which, if implemented, would reveal as regards United Kingdom registered ships the number of deaths and injuries where defective access equipment was a contributory cause. These proposals are being considered jointly by the shipowners and the seafarers' 21W trade unions and we await their comments.