Written question asked by Gwyneth Dunwoody (Labour) on Thursday, 9 March 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 20 March 2000. It was answered by Keith Hill (Labour) on Monday, 20 March 2000 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recommendations were made to him by the Marine Accident Investigation Board following the sinking of the `Rema'.

Answer: Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recommendations were made to him by the Marine Accident Investigation Board following the sinking of the Rema. [114525] Mr. Hill: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch Report into the sinking of the Belize-registered MV Rema made one recommendation to this Department, addressed to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The Agency is recommended to advocate through the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the fitting of hold bilge alarms in all single hold vessels. An identical recommendation was addressed to the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE), therefore the Maritime and Coastguard Agency will be consulting IMMARBE and the United Kingdom marine industry for their views on how this recommendation should be supported and taken forward to the IMO. The other four inspector's recommendations contained in the report are addressed to IMMARBE and propose measures to improve its safety record.

Secondary information