§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Liberian Government as to the level of expenditure on inspecting the condition of foreign vessels registered in Liberia in each of the last five years and the frequency with which ships are required to be inspected; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisNone. The Liberian registry is managed on behalf of the Liberian Administration by an American company, International Registers Incorporated, which operates from Reston, Virginia, USA. Details of International Registers Incorporated's expenditure on surveys are not available. We understand that Liberian vessels are inspected at least once a year by classification societies or independent surveyors appointed by International Registers Incorporated.