That this House is deeply concerned that the total number of UK seafaring ratings has declined from 30,000 ratings in 1980 to less than 10,000 in 2004; notes that the proportion of British officers is also declining and has fallen by more than 27 per cent. in the last three years; regrets that the decline has continued despite the Government's tonnage tax regime and the millions of pounds of public subsidy to ship owners; believes that the decline in UK seafarers cannot be allowed to continue if this country is to retain a core of essential maritime skills; welcomes the Transport Committee report which seeks more ambition from Government in ensuring wider benefits to the UK from the tonnage tax; believes that the UK Government must take responsibility for ensuring the tax delivers UK seafarers' skills; further welcomes the fact that the Government has set up a special working party to formulate measures to increase training and employment opportunities for UK ratings and officers; and urges the Government to ensure that this review leads to a tonnage tax employment and training link for ratings and officers.

That this House is deeply concerned that the total number of UK seafaring ratings has declined from 30,000 ratings in 1980 to less than 10,000 in 2004; notes that the proportion of British officers is also declining and has fallen by more than 27 per cent. in the last three...

That this House is deeply concerned that the total number of UK seafaring ratings has declined from 30,000 ratings in 1980 to less than 10,000 in 2003; notes the proportion of British officers is also declining and has fallen by more than 27 per cent. in the last three years; regrets that the decline has continued despite the Government's tonnage tax regime and the millions of pounds of public subsidy to ship owners; believes the decline in UK seafarers cannot be allowed to continue if this country is to retain a core of essential maritime skills; welcomes the Transport Committee report which seeks more ambition from Government in ensuring wider benefits to the UK from the tonnage tax; believes that the Government must take responsibility for ensuring the tax delivers UK seafarers' skills; further welcomes the fact that the Government has set up a special working party to formulate measures to increase training and employment opportunities for UK ratings and officers; and urges the Government to ensure this review leads to a tonnage tax employment and training link.

That this House is deeply concerned that the total number of UK seafaring ratings has declined from 30,000 ratings in 1980 to less than 10,000 in 2003; notes the proportion of British officers is also declining and has fallen by more than 27 per cent. in the last three years;...

That this House notes with grave concern the continuing loss of mariners' lives in the sinking of bulk carriers; observes that this is essentially because such vessels, when laden with typical bulk, cargo, sink more rapidly than other types of vessel, affording the crew little time to deploy life-saving equipment; notes therefore with regret the recent report of the Ship Design and Equipment Sub-committee to keep in abeyance proposed amendments to Safety of Life at Sea Chapter III, requiring bulk carriers to carry free-fall lifeboats with float-free capability pending the availablity of relevant technology; observes that given that the technology exists there is no excuse for it not being made available; and calls upon the IMO to enforce the installation of free-fall lifeboats with float-free capability in all bulk carriers, and further to move towards the development and fitting of float-off accommodation modules to such vessels.

That this House notes with grave concern the continuing loss of mariners' lives in the sinking of bulk carriers; observes that this is essentially because such vessels, when laden with typical bulk, cargo, sink more rapidly than other types of vessel, affording the crew little time to deploy life-saving equipment;...

That this House is deeply concerned that the total number of UK seafaring ratings has declined from 30,000 ratings in 1980 to less than 10,000 in 2003; regrets that the decline has continued since the introduction of the Government's tonnage tax regime; notes that the proportion of British officers is also declining and has fallen by more than 27 per cent. in the last three years; believes that the decline in UK seafarers cannot be allowed to continue if this country is to retain a core of essential maritime skills; abhors the fact that ship owners who have benefited massively from millions of pounds of public subsidy through the tonnage tax regime have failed to arrest this decline in British jobs; notes that in its current form the tonnage tax has not generated significant training and employment opportunities for UK seafaring ratings and officers; and calls on the Government to use the current Inland Revenue review to introduce a firm link between the concession and the increased employment of UK seafaring ratings and officers on UK registered ships.

That this House is deeply concerned that the total number of UK seafaring ratings has declined from 30,000 ratings in 1980 to less than 10,000 in 2003; regrets that the decline has continued since the introduction of the Government's tonnage tax regime; notes that the proportion of British officers is...

That this House supports the Russian Convoy Club and the Merchant Navy Association in their campaign to honour the heroic veterans of the Arctic Convoys, who endured atrocious conditions to supply Russia in World War Two and who played a major role in the defeat of the Nazi regime; and calls on the Government to end the injustice by requesting the Honours and Decoration Committee to make representation to Her Majesty the Queen to create a new medal as a fitting tribute to these brave men.

That this House supports the Russian Convoy Club and the Merchant Navy Association in their campaign to honour the heroic veterans of the Arctic Convoys, who endured atrocious conditions to supply Russia in World War Two and who played a major role in the defeat of the Nazi regime; and...

That this House recognises the importance of British merchant shipping and maritime employment; welcomes the revival of the fleet and the increase in cadet recruitment over recent years; believes that more work needs to be done to improve future employment prospects for British officers and ratings; encourages employers, trade unions and the Government to continue to work actively to achieve that objective; and calls on the Government to reconsider its announced changes to the rules on national insurance contributions relating to seafarers in UK territorial waters, which will damage UK seafarer employment and the competitiveness of the British fleet.

That this House recognises the importance of British merchant shipping and maritime employment; welcomes the revival of the fleet and the increase in cadet recruitment over recent years; believes that more work needs to be done to improve future employment prospects for British officers and ratings; encourages employers, trade unions...

That this House welcomes the recognition of the important role played by the Merchant Navy in peacetime and in war with a designated Merchant Navy day; and calls on all government departments to fly the Red Ensign on future national Merchant Navy memorial days.

That this House welcomes the recognition of the important role played by the Merchant Navy in peacetime and in war with a designated Merchant Navy day; and calls on all government departments to fly the Red Ensign on future national Merchant Navy memorial days.

That this House believes that all workers employed in a British workplace are entitled to be protected by the provisions of the Race Relations Act; notes with concern, however, that seafarers working on United Kingdom flagged ships and United Kingdom waters are currently excluded from the provisions of the Race Relations Act; believes that such discrimination is morally indefensible in the 21st Century and therefore welcomes the proposals contained in the Home Office consultation document 'Equality and Diversity The Way Ahead' to include seafarers in the provisions of the Act; congratulates the Government on this initiative; and urges the Government, shipping industry and maritime unions to work together to ensure that the provisions of the Act are enforced as widely and effectively as possible in the maritime sector.

That this House believes that all workers employed in a British workplace are entitled to be protected by the provisions of the Race Relations Act; notes with concern, however, that seafarers working on United Kingdom flagged ships and United Kingdom waters are currently excluded from the provisions of the Race...

That this House notes the concern aroused about the spillage of oil threatening the coast of Galicia as a result of the foundering of the bulk oil carrier Prestige; further notes however that such bulk carriers regularly are lost with their crews on the high seas without being reported in the mass media; and urges Her Majesty's Government to press the International Maritime Organisation and the International Association of Classification Societies to enforce standards of construction and safety measures in such vessels which will ensure that seafarers' lives will no longer be the currency of rustbucket trade.

That this House notes the concern aroused about the spillage of oil threatening the coast of Galicia as a result of the foundering of the bulk oil carrier Prestige; further notes however that such bulk carriers regularly are lost with their crews on the high seas without being reported in...

That this House recalls the commitment and bravery of the many merchant seamen and women who have fought alongside the armed forces over past decades; believes that it is an affront that British seafarers have yet again been shunned by the decision to exclude them from Government plans to award Jubilee medals to members of the services; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government not to forget seafarers' many roles at times of conflict by including them in any such considerations.

That this House recalls the commitment and bravery of the many merchant seamen and women who have fought alongside the armed forces over past decades; believes that it is an affront that British seafarers have yet again been shunned by the decision to exclude them from Government plans to award...

That this House is aware of the many considerable sacrifices made by members of the merchant navy in protecting the citizens of the United Kingdom; and believes that merchant seamen should be added to the categories of deserving people who can qualify for receipt of the Queen's Jubilee Medal.

That this House is aware of the many considerable sacrifices made by members of the merchant navy in protecting the citizens of the United Kingdom; and believes that merchant seamen should be added to the categories of deserving people who can qualify for receipt of the Queen's Jubilee Medal.

That this House believes that as an island nation Britain needs maritime skills and expertise; that the United Kingdom at present faces a critical shortage of recruits into the maritime industry and as a result there is an over-reliance upon flag of convenience shipping which brings with it risks of poorer working conditions and safety procedures; congratulates the Union NUMAST on its current campaign highlighting these issues; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to introduce measures designed to improve recruitment and working conditions onboard all the ships using our ports and waters.

That this House believes that as an island nation Britain needs maritime skills and expertise; that the United Kingdom at present faces a critical shortage of recruits into the maritime industry and as a result there is an over-reliance upon flag of convenience shipping which brings with it risks of...

That this House congratulates the MV Derbyshire Family Association and their supporters for their successful campaign to re-open the formal investigation into the sinking of MV Derbyshire with the loss of 44 lives in the Pacific Ocean during typhoon Orchid in 1980; congratulates the Wood Hole Oceanographic Institution on their exhaustive survey of the wreck at a depth of two and a half miles; thanks the Government for re-opening the formal investigation in the light of this survey; observes that the re-opened formal investigation attributed the sinking to the weakness of the foredeck hatch covers, with consequent bow flooding; notes that the assessors at the original formal investigation, although instructed not to provide conclusions, had nevertheless concluded that the ship's crew had been negligent; notes that no apology for this has been received by the families of crew members, notes that Mr Justice Colman made many important recommendations at the end of the re-opened formal investigation but that none of these appear yet to have been implemented; notes that before 1980 two of MV Derbyshire's five sister ships of similar construction had suffered structural damage, that after 1980 all suffered structural damage, one sank and one was scrapped, and that between 1980 and 1998 over 40 bulk carriers have been lost at sea with a further loss of 1,634 seafarers; and calls upon the Government to schedule a debate in Government time on safety at sea, and to ensure that Mr Justice Colman's recommendations are implemented as a matter of urgency.

That this House congratulates the MV Derbyshire Family Association and their supporters for their successful campaign to re-open the formal investigation into the sinking of MV Derbyshire with the loss of 44 lives in the Pacific Ocean during typhoon Orchid in 1980; congratulates the Wood Hole Oceanographic Institution on their...

That this House deplores the invidious position faced by Merchant Navy officers whose contracts are being terminated on ships in the Associated Bulk Carriers fleet that is being sold by the P and O Group; notes that, despite being UK citizens and having many years of loyal service, these officers are employed on 'offshore' contracts; notes the nature of these contracts, based in Bermuda, is such that these officers are denied the employment protection rights that are extended to British workers ashore and are therefore exposed to a non-UK legal system with which they are unfamiliar; notes that the arrangements mean that these officers are effectively denied the right to pursue legitimate contractual issues through the UK and European legal systems; urges P and O to look again at this situation, in the light of their massive cost savings made by this sale, to ensure that the officers receive, as a minimum a settlement equivalent to, their full pay for the notice period; and also urges the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to look again at the proposals of the Working Group on Shipping with regard to protection of those people working on 'offshore' contracts.

That this House deplores the invidious position faced by Merchant Navy officers whose contracts are being terminated on ships in the Associated Bulk Carriers fleet that is being sold by the P and O Group; notes that, despite being UK citizens and having many years of loyal service, these officers...

That this House welcomes the publication of the DETR Paper 'British Shipping-Charting A New Course'; notes with concern the decline that UK merchant shipping has experienced in recent years; including steep reductions in the number of UK flagged ships and a decline in the pool of British seafarers; recognises the particular importance of shipping both for trade and national security and that shipping is an expanding global business; endorses the paper's emphasis on increasing skills, encouraging employment, and increasing the United Kingdom's attractiveness to shipping enterprises, including maritime London; urges the Government to build on the 33 policy measures mapped out in the paper to secure a strong future for this vital national asset and to continue the partnership between Government, shipping companies and the maritime trade unions; further notes that an appropriate fiscal environment is a key element in retaining a significant shipping sector; and calls on the Government to discuss fiscal options with the United Kingdom shipping industry in the pre-Budget consultation, including a full consideration of tonnage-based systems of corporation tax.

That this House welcomes the publication of the DETR Paper 'British Shipping-Charting A New Course'; notes with concern the decline that UK merchant shipping has experienced in recent years; including steep reductions in the number of UK flagged ships and a decline in the pool of British seafarers; recognises the...