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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what steps he is taking to prevent unqualified and fraudulently qualified seamen from sailing ships into UK waters; [153587] (2) what steps he has taken (a) to guarantee the proper official certification of serving officers on merchant ships using waters around the coast of the UK and (b) to prevent the sale or exchange of qualifications for seamen. [153589] Mr. Hill: As a signatory to the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) inspects at least 25 per cent. of non-UK ships visiting our ports. An important part of any Port State Control inspection is the scrutiny of the qualifications of the ship's personnel to ensure that the qualifications are genuine and valid. Where there is any concern, the holder is questioned to determine the propriety of the qualification. Where appropriate, prosecutions for fraud have been pursued in close co-operation with the police. The MCA inspects UK ships in a similar manner as under Port State Control. No ship is permitted to sail from any UK port without correctly qualified seafarers.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

364 c744W; 153587;153589

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Crew Fraud Inspections Documents Qualifications Ports Merchant shipping Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk