HC Deb 16 March 2001 vol 364 cc744-5W
Mr. Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what steps he is taking to prevent unqualified and fraudulently qualified seamen from sailing ships into UK waters; [153587]

(2) what steps he has taken (a) to guarantee the proper official certification of serving officers on merchant ships using waters around the coast of the UK and (b) to prevent the sale or exchange of qualifications for seamen. [153589]

Mr. Hill

As a signatory to the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) inspects at least 25 per cent. of non-UK ships visiting our ports. An important part of any Port State Control inspection is the scrutiny of the qualifications of the ship's personnel to ensure that the qualifications are genuine and valid. Where there is any concern, the holder is questioned to determine the propriety of the qualification. Where appropriate, prosecutions for fraud have been pursued in close co-operation with the police. The MCA inspects UK ships in a similar manner as under Port State Control. No ship is permitted to sail from any UK port without correctly qualified seafarers.

Mr. Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what recent discussions he has had with(a) his counterparts in other maritime countries and (b) the International Maritime Organisation to prevent the practice of exchanging (i) qualifications and (ii) certification of seamen for money; [153588]

(2) what discussions he has had with the International Transport Workers Federation and the Seafarers International Research Institute about certification fraud among senior officers of merchant shipping vessels; [153591]

(3) what discussions he has had with the International Transport Workers Federation and the Seafarers International Research Institute about recent research on forged and fraudulently obtained seamen's certificates.[153590]

Mr. Hill

After discussions between my Officials, the International Transport Workers Federation and officials in other maritime administrations, the United Kingdom co-sponsored a paper concerning fraudulent certification that was discussed at the Maritime Safety Committee meeting of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in 1999. The IMO subsequently commissioned a Research Project by the Seafarers International Research Centre in Cardiff. The UK contributed £5,000 towards the project and participated in the research.

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions also contributed funding to the project. A summary Report will be put forward for consideration by the Maritime Safety Committee at its meeting in May 2001 and the full Report will be considered by an expert sub-committee in January 2002.