§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet members of the South Western Fish Producers Organisation and their representatives to discuss concerns about the consistency of application of the fishing vessel safety rules of 1975.
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§ Mr. NorrisThis is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Ms Joan Walley, dated 5 December 1994:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about the concerns of the South Western Fish Producers Organisation (SWFPO) with regard to the survey of fishing vessels.The chief executive of SWFPO and others met the chief surveyor for the agency's south and south-west England district on 5 July 1994 to discuss apparent inconsistencies in fishing vessel survey requirements. As a result of that meeting, one case is currently being examined. The district chief surveyor asked SWFPO to provide details of any other cases which demonstrated the inconsistencies to which it referred. That information is still awaited.However, in view of its continuing concern, I would be happy to offer the SWFPO a further meeting to discuss survey consistency with those responsible here for fishing vessel survey matters. I will be writing shortly to the chief executive of SWFPO to suggest such a meeting.