Parliament Website

Falkland Islands Conflict And The Merchant Navy

EDM number 209 in 2012-13, proposed by Mike Hancock on 18/06/2012.
Categorised under the topics of Falkland Islands and Shipping.

That this House pays tribute to the memory of the 17 Merchant Navy officers and ratings who lost their lives when the Argentine Air Force attacked the container ship Atlantic Conveyor and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram during the Falklands conflict; recognises the crucial role played by the estimated 3,000 civilian crew aboard the 22 RFA and 51 vessels chartered or requisitioned from the UK Merchant Navy by the Ministry of Defence which included minesweeping, troop transport, supply of equipment, fuel and food, hospital facilities, carrying prisoners and accommodating survivors; shares maritime trade unions Nautilus and RMT's concern that this level of support formilitary operation is not possible today as the number of UK Merchant Navy seafarers has fallenby over 52 per cent between 1982 and 2012, the majority of seafarers on vessels bearing the UK flag are now from other countries and the UK-owned and registered merchant fleet has shrunk to one-third of its 1982 size; notes the National Audit Office's finding that the Ministry of Defence paid 38 million above commercial rates to shipping companies for charter of tonnage for use in the first Gulf War; and believes that the thirtieth anniversary of the Falklands conflict demands an appraisal of the Merchant Navy's ability to fulfil its role as the fourth arm of the UK's defence capabilities.

This motion has been signed by a total of 15 MPs.

MPDateConstituencyPartyType
Mike Hancock18/06/2012Portsmouth SouthLiberal DemocratProposed
Alan Meale18/06/2012MansfieldLabourSeconded
Peter Bottomley18/06/2012Worthing WestConservativeSeconded
Jim Shannon19/06/2012StrangfordDUPSeconded
David Simpson19/06/2012Upper BannDUPSeconded
James Gray19/06/2012North WiltshireConservativeSeconded
Gregory Campbell20/06/2012East LondonderryDUPSigned
Ronnie Campbell20/06/2012Blyth ValleyLabourSigned
Sandra Osborne21/06/2012Ayr, Carrick and CumnockLabourSigned
Grahame Morris26/06/2012EasingtonLabourSigned
Ian Davidson02/07/2012Glasgow South WestLabourSigned
David Morris05/07/2012Morecambe and LunesdaleConservativeSigned
Jim McGovern09/07/2012Dundee WestLabourSigned
David Crausby11/07/2012Bolton North EastLabourSigned
Julian Lewis03/09/2012New Forest EastConservativeSigned

Download raw data as csv or xml.