§ Mr. James Johnsonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now received the Report of the Working Group on the Safety of Trawler Fishermen; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CroslandYes. I have received the Report with its attached Code of recommended safe working practices and have placed a copy in the Library. Copies are also being distributed to all those concerned in the trawling industry who should immediately consider adopting the very sensible safe working practices recommended. I should make it clear that the Working Group was established some time before the disasters of February 1968, which led to the setting up of the Holland-Martin Committee of Inquiry. The Working Group, whilst making in its Report a number of most392W Valuable ancillary recommendations, has concentrated its attention on the preparation of the Code itself. Government decisions on action which may need to be taken in the whole field of trawler safety, including the area covered by the Working Group's other recommendations, will necessarily have to await the receipt of the final Holland-Martin Report which may be expected about the end of April.