Clause 98 - Offences relating to safety zones
Energy Bill [Lords]
3:15 pm
Mrs Anne McIntosh (Shadow Minister, Environment & Transport; Vale of York, Conservative)
I have one little question. The Minister may be aware that the master of the Prestige is still under house arrest, presumably under international law provisions, in northern Spain after the disaster off the north coast of Spain. It would appear that clause 98, taken together with clause 99, which refers to the creation of a criminal offence, gives the Government wide powers to apprehend the master of a vessel. Has the Minister thought through the possible consequences of that? It would be good to hear that, as with clause 97, these powers are modelled on similar provisions in relation to oil and gas installations. I should be interested to know whether any person has been apprehended under those regulations.