§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of officers and ratings employed on British merchant ships(a) today and (b) in 1975; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the decline.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe most recent figures are as follows:
Officers and ratings employed in the United Kingdom shipping industry: 1975, 1989 31 December 1975 31 December 1989 Officers 35,815 8,573 Ratings 33,524 11,953 Note: Figures derived from General Council of British Shipping statistics.
The number of jobs on British merchant ships reduced with the decline in the British world fleets from the 913W economically unsustainable levels of the 1970s. Automation and new technology have further reduced the number of crew required.