Merchant Shipping Act 1995

80 Discharge books

(1) The Secretary of State may make regulations providing—

(a) for the issue to persons who are or have been employed in United Kingdom ships of discharge books in such form and containing such particulars with respect to the holders thereof and such other particulars (if any) as may be prescribed by the regulations and for requiring such persons to apply for such discharge books;

(b) for requiring the holders of discharge books to produce them to such persons and in such circumstances as may be prescribed by the regulations;

(c) for the surrender of discharge books in such circumstances as may be prescribed by the regulations;

(d) for any incidental or supplementary matters for which the Secretary of State thinks it expedient for the purposes of the regulations to provide;

and any provision of the regulations having effect by virtue of paragraph (a) above may be so framed as to apply to all such persons as are mentioned in that paragraph or any description of such persons and as to have effect subject to any exemptions for which provision may be made by the regulations.

(2) Regulations under this section may—

(a) provide for a person to cease to be entitled to a discharge book in consequence of a recommendation made by a disciplinary body by virtue of regulations made under section 60(3) or (4); and

(b) provide for the re-issue of discharge books which have been surrendered in consequence of such a recommendation.

(3) Regulations under this section may make a contravention of any provision thereof an offence punishable on summary conviction with a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale or not exceeding a lesser amount.

(4) A person who, in the United Kingdom or elsewhere—

(a) obtains employment as a seaman on board a United Kingdom ship and does so when he is disentitled to a discharge book by virtue of regulations made under subsection (2)(a) above; or

(b) employs as such a seaman a person who he knows or has reason to suspect is disentitled as aforesaid,

shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine or both.