§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps his Department has taken in the last 12 months to assess the extent of the problem of failure to report in pursuance of the recommendation of Lord Donaldson's Report "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas". [18187]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI have asked the Chief Executive of the Marine Safety Agency, Mr. R. Bradley, to write to the hon. and learned Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. James Wallace, dated 1 December 1997:
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your Question about the steps taken to assess the extent of the problem of failure to report, pursuant to recommendation 71 of Lord Donaldson's Report, "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas.44WSince the publication of the report by Lord Donaldson the Department has implemented Council Directive 93/75/EEC. The implementing Regulations make it compulsory for masters of vessels which find themselves in circumstances which may cause pollution or damage, either to themselves or to the UK coastline, to report to the Coastguard. This significantly strengthens the position as against that prevailing at the time of the report.
§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a progress report on the implementation of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson's Inquiry Report "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas" in a form similar to that placed in the Library on 31 October 1996. [18186]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Government is currently reviewing the progress made in implementing the recommendations of Lord Donaldson's Inquiry. I will place copies of a progress report in the Library shortly.
§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps his Department has taken to monitor the operation of the voluntary certification scheme issued by the Marine Safety Agency in May 1995 in pursuance of recommendation 51(c) of Lord Donaldson's Report "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas". [18190]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI have asked the Chief Executive of the Marine Safety Agency, Mr. R. Bradley, to write to the hon. and learned Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. James Wallace, dated 1 December 1997:
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your Question about what steps the Department has taken to monitor the operation of the voluntary certification scheme issued by the Marine Safety Agency in May 1995 in pursuance of recommendation 51(c) of Lord Donaldson's Report, "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas".The voluntary certification scheme, published in Merchant Shipping Notice number M.1616, encouraged ship operators to gain certification to the International Safety Management (ISM) Code in advance of the mandatory compliance dates.Our records indicate that those passenger roll-on/roll-off ferries and their operating companies, which were required to comply with the Code under Council Regulation (EC) No 3051/95, have all achieved certification.In addition, good progress is being made on the certification of companies and the vessels they operate which are required to comply with the Code by 1 July 1998, by virtue of the new Chapter IX to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974 Convention. The vessel types affected in this phase of implementation are oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers and cargo high speed craft, all of 500 gross tonnage and over, and all passenger ships including passenger high speed craft. We are liaising closely with ship operators who have already applied under the voluntary scheme, to ensure certification is achieved as soon as possible. We have been in contact also with the few who have not yet formally applied to enquire about their progress and intentions.