§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ascertain(a) the total number of British seafarers, (b) the number of British seafarers employed on United Kingdom-registered ships and (c) the total number of seafarers of all nationalities employed on United Kingdom-registered ships.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe Department of Transport last year commissioned a study into the demand for, and supply of United Kingdom and Irish seafarers worldwide. 737W This includes detailed information about manning levels, of United Kingdom, Irish, and foreign seafarers, both on United Kingdom-registered vessels and on those registered abroad. I announced receipt of the report of that study on 11 June this year, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Wealden (Sir G. Johnson-Smith). Summaries of the report are available in the Library.