§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the President of the Board of Trade what action he is proposing to protect the interests of the British shipping industry and of the right to trade freely on the high seas without interference by foreign Governments claiming to extend their jurisdiction beyond limits traditionally recognised as desirable and whether he will make a statement on the subpoena served on the Cunard Company by a United States federal court.
§ Mr. JayThe Shipping Contracts and Commercial Documents Act 1964 gives the Government powers to protect the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom against encroachment arising from foreign requirements about shipping, or the production of documents or information. I shall not hesitate to use these powers in appropriate cases. In the case which the hon. Member appears to have in mind, Thos. and Jno. Brocklebank Ltd. were required by subpoena to produce commercial documents and information to the Federal Maritime Commission of the U.S.A. in proceedings entitled Ludlow Corporation v. Calcutta East Coast of India and East Pakistan / U.S.A. Conference. Under the 1964 Act, I have directed the company not to comply with this requirement in so far as it relates to documents or information in the United Kingdom.