Propose a change

Merchant Shipping Act 1995

Write the words of this act the way you think they should read. Solon shows your change as a redline against the published text and pins it to that exact text, so it can never be applied to wording you did not see.

Change 1

What to do with it
As published

4 Penalty for carrying improper colours.

(1) If any of the following colours, namely— (a) any distinctive national colours except— (i) the red ensign, (ii) the Union flag (commonly known as the Union Jack) with a white border, or (iii) any colours authorised or confirmed under section 2(3)(b); or (b) any colours usually worn by Her Majesty’s ships or resembling those of Her Majesty, or (c) the pendant usually carried by Her Majesty’s ships or any pendant resembling that pendant, are hoisted on board any British ship without warrant from Her Majesty or from the Secretary of State, the master of the ship, or the owner of the ship (if on board), and every other person hoisting them shall be guilty of an offence. (2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) above shall be liable— (a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum; (b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine. (3) If any colours are hoisted on board a ship in contravention of subsection (1) above, any of the following, namely— (a) any commissioned naval or military officer, (b) any officer of customs and excise, and (c) any British consular officer, may board the ship and seize and take away the colours. (4) Any colours seized under subsection (3) above shall be forfeited to Her Majesty. (5) In this section “colours” includes any pendant.

Your change, as a redline

4 Penalty for carrying improper colours.

(1) If any of the following colours, namely— (a) any distinctive national colours except— (i) the red ensign, (ii) the Union flag (commonly known as the Union Jack) with a white border, or (iii) any colours authorised or confirmed under section 2(3)(b); or (b) any colours usually worn by Her Majesty’s ships or resembling those of Her Majesty, or (c) the pendant usually carried by Her Majesty’s ships or any pendant resembling that pendant, are hoisted on board any British ship without warrant from Her Majesty or from the Secretary of State, the master of the ship, or the owner of the ship (if on board), and every other person hoisting them shall be guilty of an offence. (2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) above shall be liable— (a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum; (b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine. (3) If any colours are hoisted on board a ship in contravention of subsection (1) above, any of the following, namely— (a) any commissioned naval or military officer, (b) any officer of customs and excise, and (c) any British consular officer, may board the ship and seize and take away the colours. (4) Any colours seized under subsection (3) above shall be forfeited to Her Majesty. (5) In this section “colours” includes any pendant.

One line that says what changes, such as "Halve the dog tax".

Who it helps, what it costs, what it fixes. It is what persuades people to support it.

A proposal here is not law. Support on Solon is evidence that people want the change; the official route says what it takes to make it law.

Sign in to file your proposal. What you have written stays on this page.

Sign in to file it

Think it through

Ask what your change would do, who would gain and who would bear a cost, and where something like it is already law. The assistant reads your draft as it stands, cites the law and the studies it finds, and takes no side. What you file stays yours.

Questions to start with
Think it through
Legal information from the published text, not advice for your case. Check the sources. Find a law · What the register holds