Merchant Shipping Act 1979

14 Scheduled convention to have force of law

(1) The provisions of the Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea as set out in Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act (hereafter in this section and in Parts II and III of that Schedule referred to as "the Convention ") shall have the force of law in the LTnited Kingdom.

(2) The provisions of Part II of that Schedule shall have effect in connection with the Convention and the preceding subsection shall have effect subject to the provisions of that Part.

(3) On and after the date when this Subsection and Part III of Schedule 3 to this Act come into force Parts I and II of that Schedule shall have effect with the modifications specified in the said Part III.

(4) If it appears to Her Majesty in Council that there is a conflict between the provisions of this section or of Part I or II of Schedule 3 to this Act and any provisions relating to the carriage of passengers or luggage for reward by land, sea or air in—

(a) any convention which has been signed or ratified by or on behalf of the government of the United Kingdom before the passing of this Act (excluding the Convention) ; or

(b) any enactment of the Parliament of the United Kingdom giving effect to such a convention,

She may by Order in Council make such modifications of this section or that Schedule or any such enactment as She considers appropriate for resolving the conflict.

(5) If it appears to Her Majesty in Council that the government of the United Kingdom has agreed to any revision of the Convention She may by Order in Council make such modifications of Parts I and II of Schedule 3 to this Act as She considers appropriate in consequence of the revision.

(6) Nothing in subsection (1), (2) or (3) of this section or in any modification made by virtue of subsection (4) or (5) of this section shall affect any rights or liabilities arising out of an occurrence which took place before the day on which the said subsection (1), (2) or (3), or as the case may be the modification, comes into force.

(7) This section shall bind the Crown, and any Order in Council made by virtue of this section may provide that the Order or specified provisions of it shall bind the Crown.