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Merchant Shipping (Pollution) Bill [Lords]

The official Opposition have little problem with new clause 1. The MARPOL convention is a cornerstone of international maritime regulations and we welcome being provided with more information on it. We should remember that shipping is arguably the greenest method of transport. In ball-park terms, goods going by sea in a typical bulk carrier cause one tenth the emissions of CO2 of an equivalent crate of goods going by land. Abiding by the MARPOL convention will make that difference even greater. The publication of the report will add an incentive to ensure inspections are carried out regularly and will essentially name and shame any offenders. I hope that the convention will also encourage shipping companies to follow the example I gave on Second Reading of P&O’s The Pride of Kent—I approve of the name, as I am sure does the Minister, given that he represents South Thanet—which has seen its sulphur emissions slashed to zero and its nitrogen oxide emissions down by four fifths since the introduction of a newly invented water scrubber. The more technology is encouraged in this area, the faster we will see our emissions fall. As far as I can tell, the hon. Member for Rochdale (Paul Rowen) has got into a bit of a muddle with amendment No. 5. The intention is to ensure that revisions to the treaty cannot be incorporated without an Order in Council following a debate in the House. That is not, in fact, what the amendment would do. The advice that I have been given is that the amendment would allow the Government to amend the treaty without recourse to a full Bill. I see the Minister nods in agreement. When even the Government who proposed the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill, which is designed to bypass parliamentary scrutiny on a range of issues, do not require further extra parliamentary powers on this issue, I am strongly disinclined to give such a power. I cannot believe that that is what the hon. Gentleman intended, and I am certain that he will not want to press the amendment to a vote.