HC Deb 17 May 1990 vol 172 cc542-3W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those countries where ships are registered which are deemed by his Department to operate flags of convenience.

Mr. McLoughlin

The Department does not categorise the registers of other countries. The Government are however concerned that flag states live up to their international obligations. As one of the parties to the Paris memorandum on port state control, we more than meet our obligations to inspect foreign ships in British ports.

Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents at sea occurring in(a) British waters and (b) the English channel during the last 10 years have involved either (i) oil tankers or (ii) any other ship flying a flag of convenience; and if he will express this as a percentage of all accidents in both cases.

Mr. McLoughlin

The information is available for United Kingdom vessels only on a worldwide basis. The numbers of accidents involving United Kingdom tankers, expressed as a percentage of the total number of accidents involving United Kingdom vessels, in each of the last 10 years is:

Year Number Per cent.
1979 82 14
1980 74 14
1981 65 12
1982 67 11
1983 54 11
1984 56 11
1985 36 7
1986 39 10

Year Number Per cent.
1987 19 4
1988 18 3