§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) how many oil industry supply boats are currently operating offshore the United Kingdom;
(2) how many oil industry supply boats operating offshore the United Kingdom carry the British flag; and what other flags are represented;
(3) how many pipe-laying barges operating offshore the United Kingdom carry the British flag; and which other flags are represented.
624Wperiod (a) nationally and (b) in the East Anglian area, respectively.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe attached table, compiled from reports of accidents made to my Department in accordance with statutory requirements, relates to fishing vessels below 80 ft. in length, which are generally regarded as inshore fishing vessels.
§ Mr. DeakinsMy Department maintains records only for British-registered ships and these do not contain information relating to their location. It is estimated that between 150 and 250 supply vessels at any one time are operating in the United Kingdom designated areas of the Continental Shelf, of which about 15 per cent. are British-registered. Other flags represented include United States of America, Canada, Norway, Liberia, Panama and Holland. British offshore supply vessels do not operate exclusively in United Kingdom designated areas.
I understand that there are currently eight pipelaying vessels in the United Kingdom designated areas, none of which is British-registered.