§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether in the course of the recent discussions with the Soviet Union on long-term economic and industrial co-operation they took steps to ensure that in future trade between the two countries will be carried more equally by British and Soviet ships, given that in 1984 there were over 14,000 visits by Soviet ships to British ports and fewer than 100 visits by British ships to Soviet ports.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (The Earl of Caithness)Bilateral discussions on Anglo-Soviet shipping matters are held in the context of the annual meeting of the Anglo-Soviet Joint Maritime Commission. The last meeting of the commission took place in London between 22nd and 24th January. That meeting noted that the British and Soviet lines operating the joint liner service carried nearly 90 per cent. of the bilateral liner cargo. The commission also agreed that a meeting of the working party which had been asked to consider ways of increasing the opportunities for United Kingdom flag vessels in the non-liner sectors should be convened shortly. In 1984 there were about 1,400 visits by Soviet ships to United Kingdom ports.