To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report each roll-on/roll-off cross-Channel passenger ferry currently operating out of Dover, its maximum passenger load and the number of occasions on which each ship was inspected by his Department in the last six months without notification; and if he is satisfied that all such ships have been operated with the recommended manning levels.

Roll-on/roll-off cross-Channel passenger ferries currently operating out of Dover.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the recommended bridge personnel complement on a roll-on/roll-off cross-Channel ferry.

It is a statutory requirement that the bridge is manned by a duly certificated deck officer at all times when the ship is at sea. A helmsman is also required when the ship is not in automatic steering and must be immediately available to take the wheel. A lookout must be posted during the hours of darkness, during restricted visibility and at any other time when required by the officer of the watch or the master.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions marine surveyors from his Department have made unannounced inspections of cross-Channel roll-on/roll-off ferries in which they remained aboard the relevant vessel throughout the duration of the Channel crossing.

This information is not readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give, for each roll-on/roll-off cross-Channel ferry inspected by marine surveyors in the last six months, where notification of intention to inspect the relevant vessel was given to the relevant company prior to inspection, what amount of time elapsed between notification and inspection.

My surveyors made 88 inspections of roll-on/roll-off cross-Channel ferries in the last six months where notification of intention to inspect was given prior to inspection. In general, at least 24 hours notice was given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what basis the decision is made either to notify or not to notify a cross-Channel ferry operator of the intention to inspect a roll-on/roll-off ferry.

In general, the operator is notified when the inspection requires some preparatory organisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many inspections by marine surveyors have been carried out on cross-Channel roll-on/roll-off ferries in the last six months; how many of those inspections were carried out without prior notification of the intention to inspect; and if he has any plans to improve current procedures in regard to notification.

A total of 118 inspections have been carried out in the last six months. Thirty inspections were carried out without prior notification. Procedures are continually kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the average length of time spent, per inspection, aboard roll-on/roll-off cross-Channel ferries by marine surveyors from his Department over the last six months.

The length of time spent, per inspection, aboard roll-on/roll-off cross-Channel ferries by my marine surveyors over the last six months varied from two surveyor hours to two surveyor days, averaging about one surveyor day.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what criteria his Department's marine surveyors satisfy themselves during an inspection of a cross-Channel ferry that the manning complement is adequately trained to perform their respective roles.

My marine surveyors satisfy themselves in two ways. A check is made of the qualifications of crew members and a drill of emergency procedures is witnessed during which crew members can be seen performing their duties and can be questioned by the surveyor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are taken by his Department to ensure that a roll-on/roll-off cross-Channel ferry's staffing complement recorded during an inspection of the vessel at any one time is wholly representative of that vessel's appropriate manning complement once the inspection has been completed.

It is the Department's experience from subsequent inspections that the manning complement remains as inspected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give an indication of the progress of research on roll-on/roll-off ferry studies arising from the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster; and if he will give details of the techniques to be employed on such studies.

Progress is continuing to be made under the guidance of the steering committee set up in October last year to administer, assist and advise the Department on the management of the three-year programme of research into ferry design. A copy of that programme has been deposited in the Library.