§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Minister for Trade when he set up his working group to look into the transfer of ships to the United Kingdom register; who is on the working group; how often the group; has met; what conclusions it has reached so far; and how long it will be before it reaches its final conclusions.
§ Mr. SproatThe two working groups whose formation I announced on 16 December 1982 include representatives of the General Council of British Shipping, the Merchant Navy and Airline Officers Association, the National Union of Seamen, the Mercantile Marine Service Association, the Radio and Electronic Officers Union and my Department. The groups have met on three occasions. They have agreed general principles and procedures designed, as part of my continuing campaign to ease the burden on shipowners when ships are transferred to the United Kingdom register, and these are being embodied in instructions to marine surveyors of my Department. It is hoped that the work of the groups will be completed before the end of June.