§ Mr. David Watkinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for how long a British representative has been appointed to the commission for the navigation of the River Rhine; and what are his duties.
§ Mr. HattersleyUnited Kingdom Commissioners were first appointed to the Central Rhine Commission in 1920 in accordance with Article 355 of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919. The main duties of the Commission, as laid down in the Revised Convention for Rhine Navigation signed at Mannheim in 1868, as amended in 1963, are to examine complaints arising from the application of the convention and of uniform river regulations; to deliberate on proposals concerning the prosperity of Rhine navigation, particularly those involving amendments to the convention, and to report annually on the state of Rhine navigation. The commission holds a plenary session in Strasbourg twice a year.