§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what training and qualifications are required of masters of passenger pleasure and leisure craft on the River Thames. [29541]
§ Mr. NorrisI have asked the chief executive of the Marine Safety Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 21 May 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about the training and qualifications required for masters of passenger, pleasure and leisure craft on the River Thames.
Masters of vessels on the River Thames which carry more than 12 passengers must be qualified in accordance with the Merchant Shipping (Local Passenger Vessels) (Masters' Licences and Hours, Manning and Training) Regulations 1993. The 1993 regulations require masters to hold a current Boatmaster's Licence which is appropriate to the waters in which their vessel is being navigated and the number of passengers being carried. The training requirements which must be satisfied before the licence is issued are described in Merchant Shipping Notice M. 1525. I enclose copies of the 1993 regulations and M.1525 with this letter.
Exemptions from the requirement to hold a Boatmaster's Licence can be granted where the master holds a qualification the standards for which are considered at least equivalent to the Department's standards for the relevant grade of Boatmaster's Licence. The Port of London Authority's (PLA) Waterman's Licence is recognised as equivalent to the MSA's Boatmaster's Licence for masters of vessels on the River Thames which carry more than 12 passengers. To obtain such a licence a master has to pass four independent professional examinations before achieving a full licence. Thereafter, they are required to maintain its validity by working on the river for 150 days every 3 years. Anyone failing to meet this experience criterion has to be re-examined.
Masters of vessels on the River Thames carrying 12 passengers or fewer are required by the PLA to hold the PLA Waterman's Licence.