§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the number of British-owned ships using the Panama canal in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe number of United Kingdom flag vessels using the Panama canal over the five-year period from September 1981 to September 1986 is in the table below. British-owned vessels that do not fly the United Kingdom flag cannot be identified separately and are not included in the figures given below. The source of the information is the Panama Canal Commission's annual reports.
739W
Number September 1981-September 1982 844 September 1982-September 1983 718
Number September 1983-September 1984 623 September 1984-September 1985 503 September 1985-September 1986 484 We continue to keep the situation concerning the canal under review in close consultation with British shipping interests.