§ Mr. CarmichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 20 March 2002,Official Report, column 350W, on EU state aid, if he will publish the assessments made by his Department of the operation of EU state aid rules on the encouragement of national flag shipping and seafarer employment. [46361]
§ Mr. JamiesonOur assessment, in response to the EU Commission's enquiries, is that the current state aid rules allow for increasing UK ship registration and seafarer employment. The assessment cannot be published as it contains commercially sensitive information.