The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee has raised concerns about long-standing delays in acting on safety recommendations linked to marine accidents. Its 44th report for Session 24–26 examines the Merchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure) Regulations 2025 and highlights gaps in how quickly change has been delivered.
The Regulations set requirements for both small and large vessels, while also adding measures linked to two Marine Accident Investigation Branch reports. However, the Committee notes that several recommendations remain unimplemented, even as new legislation moves forward.
Ten-Year Delay on Key Safety Measure
One major concern relates to a 2015 recommendation calling for vessel inspections before offshore races. The Committee points out that this change took a full decade to implement, even though a similar incident occurred again in 2019. The long delay, it says, demonstrates a persistent lack of urgency.
Additional Recommendations Still Await Action
The Committee also notes that the MCA has not set a timeline for two further recommendations tied to vessels covered by the Regulations. Moreover, 13 other safety recommendations remain outstanding. One of them dates back to 2016 and is not expected to be completed until at least 2026.
These delays conflict with the claim that responses to recommendations happen “as quickly as possible,” creating a mismatch between stated policy and actual delivery.
Committee Calls for Faster Progress
The report states that the time taken to implement key safety recommendations is unacceptable. It urges rapid progress on the two outstanding items linked directly to the new Regulations.
Chair Highlights Safety Risks
Lord Watson of Invergowrie, Chair of the Committee, expressed concern about the pace of legislative updates. He noted that although the MCA says it responds quickly, many actions still take several years. Since these recommendations directly relate to safety at sea, he stressed the importance of faster implementation and confirmed that the Committee will monitor progress closely. He has also written to the Minister requesting clarity on when improvements can be expected.
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Source: Committee Parliament UK
