The CIEH is seeking members’ views on a draft response to the consultation prohibiting smoking on ships.
If you would like to comment on the CIEH draft response, please do so before the closing date of 09 October 2009 by emailing Ian Gray, Principal Policy Officer at i.gray@cieh.org.
The Department for Transport launched a consultation on draft Regulations under the scope of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, to prohibit smoking on ships when they are operating within the 12 mile UK territorial waters, including inland waters.
The proposed Regulations will apply to all ships which either employ at least one member of staff or carry at least one passenger.
Pleasure vessels such as yachts, motor cruisers and small private fishing vessels would be exempted as would warships, naval auxiliary and government vessels.
The Master of a ship will be allowed to designate areas for smoking, which may include smoking cabins, but smoking will be prohibited anywhere else on board. The smokefree requirements would apply whenever the ship is within the UK waters, but not while exercising the right of innocent passage or transiting through straits used for international navigation.
However, the consultation states that the Government would like to see companies taking a forward approach and implementing this policy on board UK registered ships wherever they are in the world.
The CIEH is welcoming the proposals and would like to see them implemented as soon as possible.
However, both CIEH and Association of Port Health Authorities are concerned that the Government has failed to identify Port Health Authorities as enforcement agencies.
The draft Regulations, draft Fixed Penalty Notice and Impact Assessment can be found on the DT website at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/smokingonships/
A ministerial statement has also been issued: http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/statements/smokefreeships