Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many occasions ships' captains were given a direction under the Marine Safety Act 2003 between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2024; and if she will list the (a) date, (b) ship and (c) nature of each direction.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Safety directions are issued under Schedule 3A of the Merchant Shipping Act (MSA) 1995 (as amended); Schedule 1 of the Marine Safety Act 2003 was inserted as Schedule 3A of the MSA 1995 (as amended).

In the period in question, ships’ masters were directed under Schedule 3A powers on four occasions:

1. On 16 March 2013, the master, owners and insurers of the general cargo vessel Danio were directed to notify their plans or intentions, including the appointment of competent salvors, following the grounding of the vessel.

2. On 3 February 2017, the master and owners of the bulk carrier V Due were directed to remove their ship from the port of Liverpool to take the undamaged cargo on board the ship for discharge to another port. The ship had previously been directed into the port of Liverpool after a cargo combustion fire on board and damaged cargo was subsequently discharged in the port.

3. On 19 July 2018, the master, owners and insurers of general cargo vessel Priscilla were directed to appoint competent salvors following the grounding of the vessel.

4. On 23 December 2018, the master and owners of the bulk carrier Kuzma Minin were directed to move the ship from an anchorage position to a casualty mooring buoy in Falmouth harbour. The ship had previously run aground and was then refloated in port controlled waters.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle littering.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Local councils are responsible for keeping streets clear of litter with the role of central Government to support local action. The Pride in Place Strategy sets out how Government will support local action by bringing forward statutory enforcement guidance on both littering and fly-tipping, modernising the code of practice that outlines the cleaning standards expected of local authorities, and refreshing best practice guidance on the powers available to local authorities to force land and building owners to clean up their premises.

We are introducing a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers due to go live in October 2027. Single-use drinks containers are some of the UK’s most commonly littered items, typically making up half of litter by volume. The Deposit Return Scheme is expected to drastically reduce litter.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to the authorities in the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq on the cases of (a) Sherwan Sherwani and (b) Omed Baroshki.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the hon Member to the answer provided on 17 September to Question 71439.

Kashmir Black Day and self-determination