I am grateful to the Minister for giving way and I appreciate that he is about to outline the benefits of the Bill. There was talk some time ago of banning single-skin tankers. What is the state of play on that? Should we not focus on prevention rather than on...

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way and I appreciate that he is about to outline the benefits of the Bill. There was talk some time ago of banning single-skin tankers. What is the state of play on that? Should we not focus on prevention rather than on...

I shall address some of the specific issues that were raised by various Members. I agree with the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) about the training of ships’ officers and the need for high international standards of training and competence. That important requirement bears directly on the threat...

I shall address some of the specific issues that were raised by various Members. I agree with the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) about the training of ships’ officers and the need for high international standards of training and competence. That important requirement bears directly on the threat...

The Minister has been generous in giving way. We welcome what he has just said, but he still has not addressed the issue of freeloaders in that context and that of the new protocol. What are we doing about Liberia, Panama and other such countries?

The Minister has been generous in giving way. We welcome what he has just said, but he still has not addressed the issue of freeloaders in that context and that of the new protocol. What are we doing about Liberia, Panama and other such countries?

Yes, I can answer that. The Bill deals only with hydrocarbon-based fuel oils, so olive oil would not be included in the measure. However, negotiations are taking place on that type of cargo to put in place measures to deal with it. I can clarify that further for the right...

Yes, I can answer that. The Bill deals only with hydrocarbon-based fuel oils, so olive oil would not be included in the measure. However, negotiations are taking place on that type of cargo to put in place measures to deal with it. I can clarify that further for the right...

Short of invading them, all we can do is engage with them diplomatically. I encourage Opposition Members to be realistic about what I can and cannot do. All I can do is to engage with these countries, to speak to their Ministers and to raise these issues with them—and I...

Short of invading them, all we can do is engage with them diplomatically. I encourage Opposition Members to be realistic about what I can and cannot do. All I can do is to engage with these countries, to speak to their Ministers and to raise these issues with them—and I...

I hope the Minister will pursue the matter of historic vessels and if necessary raise it in the appropriate international meeting. I am sure that other nations would not want to affect them intentionally. Will he please answer my second question about the scope of the definition of a polluting...

I hope the Minister will pursue the matter of historic vessels and if necessary raise it in the appropriate international meeting. I am sure that other nations would not want to affect them intentionally. Will he please answer my second question about the scope of the definition of a polluting...

I also welcome the opportunity to debate this short Bill and wish to echo the Minister’s comments about Lord Donaldson. I also welcome the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) to his first outing on the subject of merchant shipping. I do not anticipate that the Bill will detain the...

I also welcome the opportunity to debate this short Bill and wish to echo the Minister’s comments about Lord Donaldson. I also welcome the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) to his first outing on the subject of merchant shipping. I do not anticipate that the Bill will detain the...

I have reflected on that matter and I am now able to tell the hon. Gentleman that we would not normally board a vessel at sea. Should we wish to do so, we have powers under section 259 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. Normally, we would wait for the...

I have reflected on that matter and I am now able to tell the hon. Gentleman that we would not normally board a vessel at sea. Should we wish to do so, we have powers under section 259 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. Normally, we would wait for the...

I thank the Minister for that intervention. I see that he sometimes has difficulty in reflecting at speed, as I do, but I am glad that some clarification arrived as he was sitting on the Front Bench. Hon. Members will be aware that there were 23 signatories to annexe VI...

I thank the Minister for that intervention. I see that he sometimes has difficulty in reflecting at speed, as I do, but I am glad that some clarification arrived as he was sitting on the Front Bench. Hon. Members will be aware that there were 23 signatories to annexe VI...

This is almost a case of déjà vu, because before I elected to this Parliament I was a Member of the European Parliament, where I got off on things like this. I took through some of the Euro IV legislation and the legislation on motor cycle emissions, N1 vehicles—vans—and small...

This is almost a case of déjà vu, because before I elected to this Parliament I was a Member of the European Parliament, where I got off on things like this. I took through some of the Euro IV legislation and the legislation on motor cycle emissions, N1 vehicles—vans—and small...

This is a Bill of only a few pages, yet it has the potential to make a significant increase in the level of financial compensation available in the event of a large oil spillage from a ship. It will also allow the United Kingdom further to control emissions from ships....

This is a Bill of only a few pages, yet it has the potential to make a significant increase in the level of financial compensation available in the event of a large oil spillage from a ship. It will also allow the United Kingdom further to control emissions from ships....

The Minister said in his opening remarks that the Bill was precise and targeted, and it is. Essentially, it provides the United Kingdom with protection and the best compensation in relation to pollution from oil, and reduces air pollution from ships. We support the UK getting protection from the supplementary...

The Minister said in his opening remarks that the Bill was precise and targeted, and it is. Essentially, it provides the United Kingdom with protection and the best compensation in relation to pollution from oil, and reduces air pollution from ships. We support the UK getting protection from the supplementary...

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak and perhaps I should declare an interest. I worked for several years in a shipping company that is owned by my parents. I have no financial interest whatever in it at the moment. Perhaps I should also come clean and say that...

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak and perhaps I should declare an interest. I worked for several years in a shipping company that is owned by my parents. I have no financial interest whatever in it at the moment. Perhaps I should also come clean and say that...

We are perplexed. Why could not the Government have made time for it today? We are to finish at around 3 o’clock.

We are perplexed. Why could not the Government have made time for it today? We are to finish at around 3 o’clock.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for that intervention, with which I have considerable sympathy. I shall raise two points that relate to his intervention in a moment, if I may, rather than doing so now. He makes a very strong point and I hope that the Minister has...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for that intervention, with which I have considerable sympathy. I shall raise two points that relate to his intervention in a moment, if I may, rather than doing so now. He makes a very strong point and I hope that the Minister has...

It is of course right to establish appropriate regimes to compensate for accidents and incidents such as those that the hon. Gentleman is describing, but is he concerned that almost three quarters of all tanker incidents are either accidents by collision and contact, or are due to machinery problems? A...

It is of course right to establish appropriate regimes to compensate for accidents and incidents such as those that the hon. Gentleman is describing, but is he concerned that almost three quarters of all tanker incidents are either accidents by collision and contact, or are due to machinery problems? A...

I entirely agree with my right hon. Friend on that point, and I was very glad to hear the Minister promise, following my right hon. Friend’s intervention, to come back to that matter. It would be quite wrong for the Bill to interfere in any way with historic celebrations of...

I entirely agree with my right hon. Friend on that point, and I was very glad to hear the Minister promise, following my right hon. Friend’s intervention, to come back to that matter. It would be quite wrong for the Bill to interfere in any way with historic celebrations of...

In rightly placing on the record his concern for the environment, does my hon. Friend agree that nothing in the Bill ought to be used to prevent the use of historic vessels for regatta purposes? Any new restrictions imposed on diesel-engine emissions must not, therefore, be retrospective to that extent.

In rightly placing on the record his concern for the environment, does my hon. Friend agree that nothing in the Bill ought to be used to prevent the use of historic vessels for regatta purposes? Any new restrictions imposed on diesel-engine emissions must not, therefore, be retrospective to that extent.

We have come full circle, as I said earlier that the countries that have not signed up to the fund are freeloading on the rest. Britain has set a positive example by joining the supplementary fund, but the Opposition would welcome measures, perhaps in the long term, to put pressure...

We have come full circle, as I said earlier that the countries that have not signed up to the fund are freeloading on the rest. Britain has set a positive example by joining the supplementary fund, but the Opposition would welcome measures, perhaps in the long term, to put pressure...

: My hon. Friend will no doubt be aware that the largest oil tanker ever to be built will be registered in Majuro, the capital of the Marshall islands. Many people will not know where that is, and I admit that I had to look it up myself, even though...

: My hon. Friend will no doubt be aware that the largest oil tanker ever to be built will be registered in Majuro, the capital of the Marshall islands. Many people will not know where that is, and I admit that I had to look it up myself, even though...