Shipping Industry (Hansard, 12 March 1979)

§ 1. Mr. Michael Spicer
asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he plans next to meet representatives of the shipping industry.

§ The Secretary of State for Trade (Mr. John Smith)
There are frequent contacts at both ministerial and official level with the General Council of British Shipping which represents the United Kingdom shipping industry. I next plan to meet the Council on 4 April.

§ Mr. Spicer
When the Minister next meets the Council, bearing in mind the military and commercial threat posed by the heavily subsidised Soviet shipping 2 fleet, will he tell it what plans he intends to put in hand to effect better competition between British ships and Russian ships and, particularly, whether he is considering a quota or surcharge arrangement similar to that in the United States?

§ Mr. Smith
The hon. Gentleman may be aware that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State has raised this matter frequently in the context of the European Community. Partly as a result of his efforts, the Transport Council recently took a decision to monitor all liner carriers on certain trade routes serving the EEC.

Mr. Alan Lee Williams
When my right hon. Friend meets the Council will he raise the question of the cost of pilotage in the Port of London, which seems to be a great deal higher than elsewhere? Will he also consider asking the Council whether it could put proposals to the Port of London Authority to rationalise the whole question of pilotage on the River Thames?

§ Mr. Smith
That matter is under consideration in the context of the Merchant Shipping Bill which is in Committee. I shall bear in mind what my hon. Friend has said.

§ Mr. Adley
Will the Secretary of State find out from the General Council of British Shipping what its policy is regarding fines which are levied on master mariners who break the anti-pollution regulations? Will he see if he can obtain 3 from it some general agreement about its policy and then come to the House and make a statement?

§ Mr. Smith
The whole question has been discussed between the Council and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State and the Department. I understand that it will be debated in the Merchant Shipping Bill Committee, perhaps tomorrow. I shall read with great interest the contributions hon. Gentlemen make on the subject.

§ Mr. Litterick
Does the Secretary of State know the current relationship between the charges levied by the shipping cartel and the actual costs of operating the ships? If he does not know, will he undertake to report this to the House as soon as possible?

§ Mr. Smith
My hon. Friend is inviting me to launch myself into a complicated area between the shipping interests and the shipper interests. The question will have to be more finely defined before I can give a helpful answer.