Merchant Shipping (Pollution) Bill [Lords]

We have come full circle, as I said earlier that the countries that have not signed up to the fund are freeloading on the rest. Britain has set a positive example by joining the supplementary fund, but the Opposition would welcome measures, perhaps in the long term, to put pressure on countries such as Panama and Liberia to sign up to the fund so that they can bear their share of the burden. I come now to the MARPOL convention. At present, ships account for 4 per cent. of global sulphur emissions and roughly 7 per cent. of nitrogen emissions. New technologies can reduce those figures substantially. Recently, P&O installed the new Krystallon water scrubber in the Pride of Kent—great name, good ship—and announced that there were ““no measurable”” sulphur emissions from the vessel, while nitrogen oxide emissions had fallen by 80 per cent. That is a really good example of how new technologies to reduce the levels of dangerous chemicals being pumped into the atmosphere can play such a big role. It is vital that companies with the financial base to test new inventions are given as much encouragement to do so as possible. Targets to cut emissions are an important part of the campaign against global warming, but they will be reached much more easily if there is also a focus on new technology. The figures also show that transport by boat for both goods and passengers is considerably more environmentally friendly than transport by road. In Britain, light and heavy goods vehicles pump out an estimated 8.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. In contrast, our entire domestic shipping industry, which carries 95 per cent. of the goods traded with Britain, produces less than 1 million tonnes a year. Occasionally, hon. Members find time to sip a drink on the Terrace. Each tug that we see pulling a large barge behind it carries enough waste to take 100 lorries off the road. The barges carrying cement up the Thames save 5,000 lorry journeys a year. The more transport we can shift on to vessels, the fewer road freight journeys will be made and the whole system would benefit. Fewer vehicles on the road mean less pollution and less congestion. I hope that the Government are giving serious thought to how to promote what is potentially by far the greenest form of transport. Two matters are not, unfortunately, covered in the Bill. Because of an entirely understandable ruling by Mr. Speaker, we will not have an opportunity to debate in Committee the measures that would have been in the Bill on port capacity. They are too far removed from this subject, but it is vital that something is done to address our shortage of port capacity and the farcical arrangements for public inquiries on that. As my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Randall) pointed out, the Bill on marine issues was promised in the Queen’s Speech and is a close cousin to this Bill—saving bird life is, after all, one of the main aims of this Bill—but the Government still have not found time for it. Nonetheless, we congratulate the Government on this Bill and hope that it will be the first of several steps to promote safety on the high seas, protect our coastline from pollution and promote greener technologies in our excellent merchant navy. I commend the Bill to the House.