§ Mr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the(a) territorial waters and (b) international seas which form the United Kingdom Search and Rescue Region; and if he will make a statement. [25829]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI have asked the Chief Executive of the Coastguard agency, Mr. C. J. Harris, to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from C. J. Harris to Mr. Norman A. Godman, dated 29 January 1998:
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the United Kingdom Search and Rescue region.The UK Maritime Search and Rescue region is aligned with the aeronautical search and rescue regions laid down by the International Civil Aviation Authority, except in the English Channel, where a demarcation line has been agreed with the French Government, and in the North Sea, where the boundary has been aligned to a median line as delineated under bilateral agreements for the exploitation of oil and gas on the Continental Shelf. The Dublin Search and Rescue Region is an enclave within the UK Search and Rescue Region, and is the responsibility of the Republic of Ireland. Details of the UK Regions are lodged with the International Maritime Organisation which advises other member states through Search and Rescue circulars.The Maritime Search and Rescue region boundary of the UK Search and Rescue region is detailed in the map.The territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom is defined in the Territorial Sea Act 1987. It is the sea out to 12 nautical miles from base lines laid down in the Territorial Waters Order in Council of 25 September 1964, as amended by the Territorial Sea (Amendment) Order in Council of 1 August 1996 (SI 1628/1996).Note: The map has been deposited in the Library.