HL Deb 04 February 1997 vol 577 cc137-8WA
Lord Clinton-Davis

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the current volume of coastal freight carried by United Kingdom flagged ships compared with each year since 1979.

Viscount Goschen

Statistics on the volume of freight carried in United Kingdom flagged ships around the coasts of the United Kingdom and from the North Sea oil rigs to the mainland were first collected in 1985. The total tonnage of freight carried each year from 1985 to 1995 is as follows:

Coastwise freight carried by United Kingdom flagged ships1
Goods lifted million tonnes
1985 42.6
1986 40.7
1987 37.0
1988 49.4
1989 46.5
1990 42.8
1991 34.9
1992 36.1
1993 30.1
1994 31.1
1995 26.6
1Includes dry cargo carried by ferries from 1988 onwards.