1 Introduction
1. Since 1992, there have been a total of 3,583
piratical attacks worldwide. This represents an increase from
1993 to 2005 of 168%. In the same period, 340 crew members and
passengers died at the hands of pirates, and 464 received injuries.
In 2005 alone piracy resulted in over 150 injuries and assaults
and over 650 crew members were taken hostage or kidnapped.
2. These statistics may appear modest by contrast
with the casualties suffered in other violent conflicts. But these
attacks were not sustained in a violent conflict. They were suffered
by innocent people travelling lawfully by sea. Even one such attack
is one too many.
3. We wanted to know what the Government was doing
to solve the growing problem of piracy, and we held a hearing
on 29 March 2006.[1]
4. The responsibility for piracy in the UK Government
transferred from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the Department
for Transport only recently, in 2004.[2]
We therefore took evidence from Dr Stephen Ladyman MP, Minister
of State, Department for Transport and Mr Ian Pearson MP, then
Minister of State in the Department for Trade and Industry and
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. We are grateful to them,
our other witnesses, and to all those who assisted us.
1 Transport Select Committee, Press Notice 18, 9 December
2005 Back
2
Ev 23 Back
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