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QE2 Incident: Marine Safety Agency Report
Lord Brougham and Vaux asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What remedial action has been taken following their assessment of the Marine Safety Agency's report on the QE2 incident last December.
Viscount Goschen: A report on the QE2 incident has been completed by the Director Operations and Seafarer Standards of the Marine Safety Agency. The director's report discloses serious deficiencies in the shore and ship management of the vessel by Cunard; it also
identifies failings on the part of the Marine Safety Agency.On the instructions of the Agency's Chief Executive, the following action is being taken with Cunard:
- (a) the agency is holding discussions with Cunard's ship and shore management both to ensure that systems are in place to avoid any recurrence of the problems experienced last December and to work towards early certification under the International Safety Management Code;
- (b) for the time being agency surveyors will continue a programme of inspections of the QE2.
- (1) the agency's surveyors have been instructed not to issue a certificate which is subject to conditions until they are satisfied that adequate steps have been taken by the ship's management and crew to apply and to enforce the conditions for the period during which they apply;
- (2) if a certificate is issued subject to special conditions, these conditions will be set down in writing and attached to the certificate, and they will be reinforced by written confirmation from the district chief surveyor to the owner or operator;
- (3) any special conditions, or an appropriate summary of them, will be displayed alongside the passenger certificate in a public area of the ship;
- (4) the agency's surveyors have been instructed that they should only issue a full passenger certificate after the completion of work needed to comply with the certificate, except in minor matters, where the surveyor may issue a
- certificate if he is satisfied that the work will be completed before the ship sails.
The chief executive has also stressed to surveyors the importance of maintaining a close but objective working relationship with shipowners. All the agency's staff have been reminded of the agency rules on the acceptance of hospitality.
The full details of the incident are set out in the MSA director's report, which has been placed in the Library of the House.
EU Nationals on Remand in Northern Ireland
Lord Hooson asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many nationals of other European Union member states are currently on remand in Northern Ireland awaiting trial on charges brought against them there.
Baroness Miller of Hendon: Responsibility for the subject of this Question has been delegated to the Northern Ireland Prison Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter to Lord Hooson from the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Mr. A. D. Shannon, dated 23/11/1995:
Baroness Denton has asked me to reply to the parliamentary Question which you tabled concerning the number of nationals of other European Union member states who are currently on remand in Northern Ireland prisons.
Unfortunately the information held in relation to the nationality of prisoners is not available in the precise form which you have requested. However, our enquiries have revealed that at 15 November 1995 there were two nationals of other European Union member states on remand in Northern Ireland awaiting trial on charges brought against them here. Both prisoners are recorded as citizens of the Republic of Ireland.
I hope this information is helpful.
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