§ 3.20 p.m.
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what countries have accepted a request from the United Kingdom to co-operate in making a joint representation to the Soviet Union on the subject of competitive cargo freight rates.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, the matter has not followed the course predicated by the noble Baroness. As I have indicated in earlier Answers to the noble Baroness, matters are being considered in various internatonal fora.
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDEMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer. Presumably he has studied Soviet Shipping, which is a very 363 interesting document. May I ask whether action is being taken on the suggestions made in Soviet Shipping, which is not issued by Soviet shipping but is about Soviet shipping? Also, can the noble Lord say what action as requested by the Chamber of Shipping is being taken, in view of the fact that if we are not very careful we shall have no British shipping left, and it is a very important invisible export?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, I have not had the pleasure of reading the publication mentioned by the noble Baroness. If she will send me a copy I shall read it with interest. What we are doing is discussing the problems that may arise with the OECD and the Consultative Shipping Group, which is made up of 12 European nations and Japan; and, of course, we have bilateral contacts, and such consultation will continue. As I have said before, our aim is to come to a common appraisal of the situation and then decide what may be required. A number of possibilities are being canvassed. Her Majesty's Government are not inactive, but I prefer not to be pressed beyond this point.
§ Lord DERWENTMy Lords, the noble Lord has repeatedly told us about these fora. Can he name them?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, I thought I had. The OECD is the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which is the commercial body covering Europe under the United Nations; and the Consultative Shipping Group is 12 European nations plus Japan.
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDEMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for the help he is giving, of which I am sure everybody is very appreciative. If he has not seen Soviet Shipping, and if I send him the copy which was lent to me by one of the noble Lords on this side who is interested in shipping, may I have an undertaking that he will let me have it back again?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, I believe that book stealing is worse than horse stealing.