§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the names of ferries inspected in the port of Dover in the last 12 months, indicating the defects found aboard each vessel. [18675]
§ Mr. NorrisIn my answer to the hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, North (Ms Walley) on 27 April 1995,Official Report, columns 614–15, I stated the Government's belief that there is no benefit to the travelling public to be gained from the release of the results of routine inspections. The technical content of the report would not be easily comprehensible and could be open to misinterpretation.
In cases where an inspection of a foreign-registered roll-on roll-off ferry reveals serious deficiencies which lead to its detention, the details would be included in the list of ships detained in the UK ports, which is published monthly by the Marine Safety Agency.