§ Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he has any plans to introduce proposals at the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation for the wider distribution to owners, classification societies, appropriate Government Departments and other interested parties of shipping casualty information on lines comparable to those developed in the aviation industry; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EyreUnder the general provisions of the Safety of Life at Sea Convention 1974 and Load Line Convention 1966 contracting Governments undertake to investigate shipping casualties and supply the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation with pertinent information concerning the findings of such investigations judged likely to be of assistance in determining changes in safety regulations. Lessons learned as a result of my Department's casualty inquiries are also promulgated in the general interests of safety in the form of guidance to the shipping industry, merchant shipping notices and appropriate amendments to statutory safety regulations. My Department is, however, currently examining its procedures with a view to facilitating casualty investigations and improving arrangements for disseminating their findings. I have no current plans to submit proposals to IMCO on this question.