§ Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether the Government have received representations from the Nautical Institute to the effect that charterers should be required to insert in any contract a condition that a captain must report immediately to the coastguard any failure of equipment, such as engine, steering or radar, if it occurs within 100 miles of the coast; and if so, what action the Government propose to take.
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§ Mr. EyreI understand that the institute has recommended this course to the Government. The Government share the institute's concern to limit all potential threats of pollution from tankers. A voluntary ship reporting scheme (MAREP) was introduced on 1 October last by the British and French Governments, and has proved valuable in relation to traffic in the English Channel and Dover Strait. We shall be introducing regulations shortly requiring certain tankers of 1600 grt or more to report important defects in their equipment to the appropriate authority before they enter or leave a United Kingdom port. The Government are also considering action to be taken in the light of a resolution adopted by IMCO in November 1979 which recommended the introduction of a wide-ranging reporting system.