Merchant Shipping (Pollution) Bill [HL]

My Lords, I thank the noble Lords for their contributions this afternoon. Before I begin the substantive part of my remarks, I should like to make a small tribute to Lord Donaldson of Lymington who passed away during the recess. He was a familiar figure in the shipping world and in this House. As a wise and often trenchant adviser to governments and to their officials, he was closely engaged with the proposals before us today—proposals likely to make the seas cleaner. Indeed, much of our current law in this field is based on his important work. As my honourable friend the Minister of State for Transport wrote to Lord Donaldson’s family:"““We are much in his debt””." I am sure that the House would concur with that.