§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to strengthen controls on the qualifications, including local knowledge and experience, of tugboat crews.
§ Mr. NorrisNone. Masters, mates and engineer officers of sea-going tugs are required to hold certificates of competency in accordance with the deck or marine engineer officer regulations. Tugs that do not proceed beyond the limits of smooth or partially-smooth waters are not required to carry any officers with formal qualifications. The accident record of these vessels does not give cause to impose further legislative requirements.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has received of accidents and dangers arising from the employment of labour inexperienced in the area in operating tugs from Newport docks in the past four weeks.
§ Mr. NorrisNone that involved any lack of local knowledge.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will recommend that recordings of messages between tugs and coastguards be retained for at least six months during the period of industrial action at Newport docks.
§ Mr. NorrisIt is HM coastguard's policy to retain archive tape recordings of rescue centre telephone and radio messages for 30 days. Should an incident occur that may require the submission of a tape or associated transcript to an appropriate inquiry, such recordings are kept for a period dictated by the particular case. I see no reason to change this policy during industrial action at Newport docks.