Third Party Insurance And Pleasure Craft Regulation

EDM number 585 in 2000-01, proposed by Alan Simpson on 23/04/2001.

That this House calls attention to the fact that about a third of boat owners currently have no insurance and risk financial ruin if they cause an accident, and that basic insurance is only compulsory at private marinas, some moorings and on some inland waterways; notes that last month the UK Harbour Masters' Association unanimously backed moves for compulsory insurance on all private boats in coastal waters; congratulates the Financial Mail on Sunday for drawing attention to these facts in its issue of 15th April; notes also that few of the over 150 local authorities with coastal responsibilities, as listed in the UK Coastal Management Directory 1998, have yet to comply with the recommendations of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions Report on Bye-law Powers for the Coast published in October 1998; and calls on the Government to introduce statutory third party insurance as already required in several other European countries as a means of regulating competency and addressing environmental and pollution issues.

This motion has been signed by a total of 34 MPs.