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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions the Marine Management Organisation had with Maritime Systems Ltd to resolve issues which led to removal of type approval for that company's inshore vessel monitoring systems.

All four I-VMS device suppliers were informed of the outcome of the independent testing and given the opportunity to meet with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and its independent tester to discuss the results.

All suppliers were also given an opportunity to provide the MMO with proposals to fix the issues identified through the testing. The MMO was clear that if suppliers did not provide a plan, or if the MMO was unable to accept the plan, then Type Approval for the device would be removed.

The decision to grant or revoke a devices Type Approval status sits with the MMO.

The decision to revoke the Maritime Systems device Type Approval status was taken as the device submitted for Independent Testing by Maritime Systems did not meet the technical specification for Type Approval. The fix plan provided by Maritime Systems did not give the MMO the necessary confidence that the numerous and significant issues with the device could be fixed.

I and my officials continue to regularly engage with the MMO to ensure the successful rollout of I-VMS to the English under 12m fleet.