§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stretford on 23 May, if he plans to alter his definition of and acceptable evacuation time for a passenger ferry; if the research programme to which he refers is concerned with evacuation time; and when he expects it to report.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe maximum evacuation time of 30 minutes, which is the time within which the muster and evacuation arrangements (including the launching and deployment of lifeboats and other life-saving appliances) must enable the ship to be evacuated, came into force on 1 July 1986 and there are no plans to alter it. The research programme referred to in my answer on 23 May is concerned with facilitating movement in, and escape from, a ship at high angles of heel and not with evacuation time. I expect to receive a report on this work by spring 1989.