Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Dormerasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will support a European Union regulation that takes immediate effect banning the transport of heavy fuel oil in single-hulled oil tankers. [HL472]
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§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonIn its communication of 3 December the Commission indicated that it intended to propose a regulation prohibiting the transport of heavy fuel oil in single hull tankers bound for or leaving the EU ports. We shall examine this proposal in the light of the conclusions of the Transport Council on 6 December, which we supported.
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they support the proposal to ban the 66 ships identified as very substandard after the Erika oil tanker disaster in 1999. [HL473]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonWe supported the new directive on port state control which was part of the Erika 1 package and which introduced the procedure for banning certain classes of vessels from Community ports. Any vessel which meets the criteria in the new directive will be refused access to UK ports once the directive is implemented.
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Govenment:
Whether the level of inspection of ships calling at United Kingdom ports of 27.89 per cent in 2001 is adequate. [HL474]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonThe level of inspection exceeds that required by the Port State Control Directive [1995/21/EC].
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in line with France and Spain, they intend to inspect all single-hulled vessels more than 15 years old that are carrying any substance which would pose a threat to the coastal environment were it to spill. [HL475]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonThe UK will pay more attention to this type of vessel within the European inspection regime covered by the directive on port state control.
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether ships calling at Gibraltar come under United Kingdom jurisdiction; and, if so, whether the 27.89 per cent level of inspection includes inspections in Gibraltar. [HL476]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonYes, for the purposes of port state control Gibraltar is considered as a UK port and contributes to UK inspection effort.