§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will bring pilotage back under public jurisdiction. [42093]
§ Mr. JamiesonResponsibility for the provision of pilotage services was assigned by the Pilotage Act 1987 to competent harbour authorities who have statutory powers in relation to the regulation of shipping movements and the safety of navigation. We have no plans to change this arrangement.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions to whom a competent harbour authority is ultimately accountable. [42090]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe term "competent harbour authority" is used in the Pilotage Act 1987 for harbour authorities who have more general statutory powers in relation to the regulation of shipping movements and the safety of navigation. The Act extended these powers to include the provision of pilotage services. Harbour authorities are fully accountable for the exercise of their powers, as the prosecution of the Milford Haven Port Authority, following the Sea Empress grounding, has shown.
The purpose of the Department's Port Marine Safety Code has been to establish an agreed national standard as a measure by which a harbour authority can be more openly accountable to a wide range of interests for the policies and procedures adopted to ensure that the harbour is run safely.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what method of arbitration replaced the temporary procedure for resolving disputes on terms of employment contained in the Pilotage Act 1987 after the three-year expiry period. [42173]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe temporary arbitration procedure was a transitional provision to enable new arrangements to be established between previously licensed pilots and competent harbour authorities following the transfer of pilotage functions to those authorities under the Act. It is now spent.