§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of whether the engine capacity registered by(a) British, (b) Spanish and (c) Dutch vessels under the multi-annual guidance targets is accurate; what steps are taken to check this in each country; and if he has asked the Commissioner to verify registered capacities under the programme. [25385]
§ Mr. JackIt is the European Commission's responsibility to ensure that member states comply with Community obligations, and for member states authorities to ensure proper administration in relation to their own vessels. In the United Kingdom, it is the responsibility of the chief executive of the Marine Safety Agency to ensure that the details entered on a vessel's certificate of registry accurately reflect that vessel's characteristics. The characteristics of the engine of each vessel on the UK register are obtained by a surveyor approved by the Marine Safety Agency before registration of the vessel takes place.
Where specific instances of discrepancies arise or are brought to my attention, they are taken up with the Commission or, in the case of a UK-registered vessel, with the Marine Safety Agency.