Written Answers
Dangerous And Other Cargoes: Reporting Of Accidents
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there are regulations requiring the reporting of accidents or incidents relating to the transport of liquid natural gas and liquid petroleum gas, either by land, sea or air; if so, how many such accidents have been reported relating to sea transport; whether such accidents occurring on non-British registered vessels within British internal, territorial or fishery limits respectively are due to be reported, either directly or by the flag-state, and have been; and what, if any, British regulations apply to vessels transporting liquid natural gas and liquid petroleum gas or to their crews;Whether there are regulations requiring the reporting of accidents or incidents relating to the transport of dangerous cargoes, and in particular cargoes including materials the dumping of which at sea is prohibited, either by land, sea or air; if so, how many such accidents have been reported relating to sea transport; whether such accidents occurring on non-British registered vessels within British internal, territorial or fishery limits respectively are required to be reported, either directly or by the flag-states, and if so, whether any have been; and what if any British regulations apply to vessels transporting such dangerous cargoes or to their crews;and:Whether there are regulations requiring the reporting of accidents or incidents relating to the transport of radio-active materials, either by land, sea or air; if so, how many such accidents have been reported relating to sea transport; whether such accidents occurring on non-British registered vessels within British internal, territorial or fishery limits respectively are required to be reported, either directly or by the flag-state, and if so whether any have been; and what, if any, British regulations apply to vessels transporting radio-active materials or to their crews.
There are no specific regulations requiring the reporting of accidents involving the transport by land, sea or air of dangerous goods as such but certain regulations are relevant.Provisions relating to the reporting of accidents involving the transport of radioactive substances by road are contained in the Radio-Active Substances (Carriage by Road) (Great Britain) Regulations 1974.Regulations requiring the reporting of accidents relating to the transport of liquefied natural gas and other specified dangerous substances by ship or vehicle which involve loss of life or personal injury are provided for under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928.Requirements for notification of certain accidents including those causing loss of life or personal injury are laid down by the Explosives Act 1875 covering the conveyance of explosives in, about, or in connection with any carriage, ship or boat.The reporting of specified occurrences, including occurrences relating to the carriage of dangerous materials, which endanger, or which if not corrected would endanger, the safety of an aircraft, its occupants or any other person is provided for in the Air Navigation Order 1976 and the Air Navigation (General) Regulations.All casualties involving the loss of, damage to, or damage caused by a United Kingdom registered ship, including ships used in the transport of dangerous cargoes, must be reported under the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Acts. There are no corresponding requirements for non-United Kingdom registered vessels.In the period 1975-to-date 25 casualties or incidents involving ships transporting dangerous cargoes, including 5 foreign flag vessels, have been reported.The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods) Rules 1965 apply to all United Kingdom registered ships. For other ships within the United Kingdom Territorial Waters the rules apply only when they engage in embarking or disembarking passengers or loading or discharging cargoes or fuels.All United Kingdom registered vessels must comply with the manning requirements specified under the Merchant Shipping Acts.
Fisheries Projects In Developing Countries
asked Her Majesty's Government:What fisheries projects the Minister of Overseas Development is supporting in developing countries; whether they will list these projects and the financial aid being given in each case; whether British equipment is being supplied on any of these schemes; whether any stipulation is made about the final destination of fish caught, and if so what.
| Country | Project Description | Estimate of Total Cost £000 | British Equipment Supplied |
| Bahrain | Fisheries Officers and Trawler Skipper | 91 | |
| Bangladesh | Inland Fisheries | 435 | Yes |
| Brazil | Oyster Culture | 120 | Yes |
| Inland Fish Farm | 40 | Possibly | |
| Fiji | Fisheries Officers | 35 | |
| Ghana | Pesticides Pollution | 93 | Yes |
| Catamaran Fishing | 75 | Yes | |
| Gilbert Islands | Fisheries Officer | 13 | |
| Fisheries Consultancy | 117 | ||
| Fisheries Training Officer | 30 | Yes | |
| Live Bait/Milkfish Culture | 86 | ||
| Guyana | Shrimp By-Catch Study | 22 | Yes |
| St. Helena | Cold Store for Fish: Jamestown | 40 | Yes |
| Fisheries Survey Vessel | 60 | Yes | |
| Fish Cold Store Installation | 76 | Yes | |
| Indonesia | Fish Processing Industry | 70 | Yes |
| Jamaica | Larval Fish Programme | 3 | |
| Malawi | Fisheries Development | 360 | Yes |
| Fish Preservation and Processing | 35 | Yes | |
| Mexico | Coastal Lagoon Fisheries | 204 | Yes |
| Marine Food Processing | 36 | ||
| Portugal | Coastal Fishing Vessels Study | 7 | |
| Seychelles | Post-Harvest Fisheries Development | 75 | Yes |
| Fisheries Consultants | 380 | ||
| Fisheries Loan Scheme | 115 | Yes | |
| Fisheries Development | 49 | Yes | |
| Solomon Islands | Turtle Resources Evaluation | 13 | Yes |
| Fisheries Development | 54 | Yes | |
| Equipment for Govt. Fisheries Vessel "San Juanita" | 7 | Yes | |
| Fish Market | 20 | Yes | |
| Fisheries Laboratory Store and Workshop | 56 | ||
| Fisheries Investigation Vessel | 140 | Yes | |
| South Pacific Commission | Skipjack Survey | 210 | Yes |
| Sudan | Pilot Fisheries Project | 100 | Yes |
| Artisanal Fisheries | 690 | Yes | |
| Tanzania | Coastal Fisheries | 265 | Yes |
| Thailand | Fisheries Economists | 70 | Yes |
| Tonga | Fisheries Training Officer | 25 | |
| Fisheries Officer | 17 | ||
| Zambia | Assistance to Fisheries Department | 18 |
My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Overseas Development is currently supporting fisheries projects in the following countries:
Civil Aviation Authority: Members' Salaries
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish in the
Official Report a list showing the salaries now paid to full-time members of the Civil Aviation Authority; the salaries paid to the holders of these appointments when the Authority assumed its full responsibilities in April 1972; and the percentage difference
in real terms after allowing for changes in prices and taxation between the purchasing powers of the 1972 and current salaries.
In accordance with normal practice in publishing the salaries of board members the information in the accounts of the Civil Aviation Authority for 1972–73 which relates to full-time members is presented in the following form:
| Emoluments—£ | Number |
| 7,501–10,000 | 1 |
| 10,001–12,500 | 2 |
| 12,501–15,000 | — |
| 15,001–17,500 | 1 |
| Gross emoluments—£ | After tax | Number |
| 10,001–12,500 | 6,302–7,230 | 4 |
| 12,501–15,000 | — | — |
| 15,001–17,500 | 8,010–8,689 | 1 |
Note: One full-time member, who was a serving officer in the Royal Air Force, received no emoluments from the Authority.
The salaries now paid would produce the following:
Gross emoluments—£ | Number
|
| 10,001–12,500 | 1 |
| 12,501–15,000 | 2 |
Only the current appointment in the £10,001-£12,500 hand is generally comparable to an appointment in 1972, when it appeared in the same band. It is not possible to carry through the comparisons of income after taxation, which depends on personal circumstances.
The retail price index increased between April 1972 and September 1977 by 120·1 per cent.
The Solomon Islands Constitutional Conference
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Solomon Islands Constitutional Conference agreed on independence for the territory; if so
Yes. Details are available in the Report of the Solomon Islands Constitutional Conference (Cmnd. 6969), which was presented to Parliament on 29th October 1977. (1) It was agreed to aim to fix a date for independence in the middle of 1978. (2) The national legislature will consist of a single chamber, known as the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, with a normal life of four years. Only citizens of the Solomon Islands will be qualified to be elected to Parliament. The country is to be divided into single member constituencies, of which there will be not less than 30 nor more than 50, on a basis of universal adult suffrage. (3) The provisions of the existing Constitution for the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms will be incorporated into the new Constitution, strengthened in some respects. (4) The Conference agreed on the principle that all land in the Solomon Islands belongs to the citizens of Solomon Islands. There are no special provisions for natural resources. (5) The United Kingdom agreed to make available grant aid up to a total of £26 million in the first four years of independence.
Anglo-Soviet Credit Agreement
asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the average tenure of credits extended, and at what rates of interest, to large-scale sales embracing complete processing plants for long-delivery to the Soviet Union; and what scale of escalation clause is currently in use.
The credit terms supported by ECGD for sales of complete processing plant to the Soviet Union under the terms of the Anglo/Soviet credit agreement are confidential to the parties involved. As was announced by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade on 28th July last in reply to a Question put to him in another place, these terms are in accordance with the international consensus reached last year on export credit guidelines. This consensus provided for maximum credit terms and minimum interest rates. Details are available in the ECGD Trading Results for 1976–77, copies of which are available in the Library.
The arrangements for providing for escalations are for the commercial parties to negotiate.House adjourned at five minutes before six o'clock.