§ Lord Donaldson of Lymingtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they have taken or intend to take on the Report of the Emergency Towing Study Team (the "Belton Report") dated May 1995 or on the amended version dated December 1995.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Viscount Goschen)Emergency towing vessels were stationed, as a trial, at Dover and Stornoway as a result of recommendations made by the noble and learned Lord's inquiry and by the Emergency Towing Study Team. The next highest priority identified by the Inquiry and by the Emergency Towing Study Team was the South Western Approaches. On the basis of our experience with the tugs in Dover and Stornoway over the last two winters, we shall station a tug at both these locations again next winter; further, we have decided to place a third tug in the South Western Approaches next winter. We will shortly be inviting competitive tenders for that contract.