§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his answer of 14 March,Official Report, column 639, when his Department's latest standard for standby vessels will be applied to all such vessels.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe latest standard is expected to be published in April. New ships will be required to comply in full, but in view of the significant changes that are to be made there will be a staged introduction for existing ships.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he proposes to change the record keeping by his Department to enable him to know when standby vessels are on station in the North sea.
§ Mr. McLoughlinSince early 1990 most owners have been providing on a weekly basis information on the locations and time their vessels are on station as a check on the periods of duty at offshore installations. When the revised code is published next month this information will be sought on a voluntary basis for all standby vessels. In his report on the Piper Alpha disaster Lord Cullen recommended that the owners of standby vessels should be required to notify the regulatory body weekly as to the locations and functions of their vessels in the ensuing week. This will of course be a matter for the Health and Safety Commission once responsibility has been transferred to it.