HC Deb 11 April 1983 vol 40 c287W
Mr. Thornton

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement about financial arrangements for an early retirement scheme for marine pilots.

Mr. Sproat

In August 1982 I asked Messrs Samuel Montagu & Co. Ltd. to advise me on the financial implications of proposals put to me by the Pilotage Commission for the making of schemes under which payments might be made to pilots to compensate them for loss of employment due to factors such as the reorganisation of pilotage services. I have now received a draft interim report from Samuel Montagu which contains a series of detailed recommendations on the financial arrangements for a national severance scheme for pilots. The recommendations provide for payments made to pilots leaving the service to be funded from pilotage revenue, but without adding to shipowners' existing levels of cost.

I have sent the report to the chairman of the Pilotage Commission asking him to take the matter forward as quickly as possible, in consultation with shipowner and pilot representatives, in order to establish whether the recommendations provide a basis for an agreement between the principal parties.

I have placed a copy of the report in the Library.