§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the current IT system was implemented into the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. [44973]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe current Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) IT system was implemented in June 2000.
§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions for what reason there is not a central database of Maritime and Coastguard Agency registered vessels in the UK. [44972]
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§ Mr. JamiesonThe Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has a central database of vessels registered in the UK. It is managed by the agency's Registry of Shipping and Seamen (RSS) in Cardiff and is one of the oldest and most prestigious shipping registers in the world.
The agency is implementing an information integration programme that will allow staff to view, simultaneously, related information about UK registered vessels from other sources as well as the RSS, making more effective use of the information at the agency's disposal.
§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how long it has taken to install the current IT system into the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. [44980]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe current Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) IT system was installed during May and June 2000.
§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the cost was of implementing the most recent IT system into the Maritime and Coastguard Agency; and which outside organisations advised its implementation and helped introduce the system. [44979]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) current IT system was procured using Government competitive tendering procedures. A five-year contract was awarded to BT at a total cost of approximately £2.8 million. BT advised on installation and the introduction of the system.
§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many non-UK owned, UK registered vessels were inspected by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in each of the last five years; from which countries they came; and what categories of vessels were inspected. [44981]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) database for recording ship inspections does not have sufficiently comprehensive details on vessel ownership to provide this information.
§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many vessels are registered with each Maritime and Coastguard Agency office in the UK. [44971]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) manages the UK Shipping Register at its Register of Shipping and Seamen (RSS) office in Cardiff. The Register is being computerised in a process that will continue into 2003. The number of merchant and fishing vessels recorded on the Register at the end of February 2002 was:
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Number Merchant1 3,789 Fishing1 7,059 1 Vessels
§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what systems are in place for port authorities to provide the Maritime and Coastguard Agency with information concerning vessels entering each port in the UK. [44974]
§ Mr. JamiesonA variety of arrangements are place for each Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Marine Office to obtain information from port authorities on vessels entering each port in the UK. The Agency is working with port authorities to ensure that information received is timely and consistent.
§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to implement the proposals outlined in the 19 report from the Committee on Public Accounts on Ship Surveys and Inspections (HC608), that inspectors check of all areas of ships inspected; and what plans he has to install all the data concerning vessel inspections into a central database. [44975]
§ Mr. JamiesonMy Department and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are actively considering the recommendations set out in the Committee's 19th Report and will prepare a formal response in accordance with the usual procedures and timetables.