Mr. T. MORRISasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the new Anglo-Swedish load-line agreement, extending the rules of the 1930 international convention to vessels of under 150 tons, is a forerunner of similar agreements with the maritime nations trading with us; and whether he can state in that case what negotiations are in hand?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe agreement referred to is one for the mutual recognition of load-line certificates granted by the two Governments to certain classes of ships which are outside the scope of the International Load-Line Convention, 1930. An Order in Council will be necessary in accordance with the provisions of Section 59 (2) of the Merchant Shipping (Safety and Load-Line Conventions) Act, 1932, to give effect to this agreement. Similar agreements have been concluded with the Governments of Finland, Germany and the Netherlands. Negotiations for similar agreements are being conducted with the Governments of Belgium, Denmark and Norway. Some of these agreements are in replacement of previous agreements made effective under the powers granted by Section 445 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, which was repealed by Part II of the Fourth Schedule to the Merchant Shipping (Safety and Load-Line Conventions) Act, 1932.