§ Mr. Trotterasked the Minister for Trade (1) when he expects to receive the report of the preliminary inquiry into the recent collision between the "European Gateway" and "Speedlink Vanguard";
(2) whether, in the light of the recent collision between two cross-Channel ferries with a loss of life among passengers, he will consider requiring masters of such ferries to produce adequate information to passengers as to the location of the life-saving equipment and as to safety procedures; and whether he will lay down regulations for the means of providing such information.
§ Mr. SproatThe inspector, who was appointed immediately after the casualty occurred, must be allowed time to complete his inquiries and compile his report. This will be done with all possible speed consistent with a thorough investigation.
The inquiry will take account of all the circumstances of the casualty, including such matters as the information available to passengers and safety procedures and I would not wish to pre-empt its findings by considering now any changes to the present provisions, which are set out in Merchant Shipping Notice No. M 694.