§ Mr. HefferTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will prosecute under the Merchant Shipping Acts the port manager of Heysham harbour for cutting the rope of the Tynwald with a chain saw on Saturday 30 April.
§ Mr. NichollsI have been asked to reply.
No. The Merchant Shipping Act did not apply to the incident referred. On the information available neither the ship, its crew nor any person ashore were endangered by the action of the harbour master and there was no contravention of any legal requirement.