TNAG-0323-FCO40-359-Legislation-for-merchant-shipping-registered-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 65

Mr Laird

Reference

HKK 21/6

38

п

lewles

9

Jufe, agran

En

2%

NOTE:- Sparke to hur

вит

Shouler on 3/8

who promed reparto from the 3 shipping Policy Dives uns

by nature'

"

%.

Sparta ageun

Stuff - apart from 2 puato

which will come early next wack-

Планир

WORLD WIDE (SHIPPING) GROUP

I

Mr Royle's minute on your submission of 26 July

refers.

20

I have again spoken to DTI and our "questionnaire", accompanied by a background note, was distributed on 19 July to the following Divisional Heads, all of whom are Assistant Secretaries:-

Mr Burn

Mr Service

Mr Hargreaves.

Marine Division I Registry of Shipping

#t

II

III

零章

Mr Eales-Johnson

11:

17

VI

Shipping Policy Division

Mr Frost

Mr Drukker

#

Mr McQueen

3.

I

11

II

III

Safety/Construction

Navigational Aids

New Regulations under

Merchant Shipping Act 1970

Policy towards UK Shipping

Shipping relations with Hong Kong

Policy/Flag

discrimination in Far East (including

Commonwealth and

Colonial countries)

One paragraph of the background note emphasised the interest of Ministers including the Prime Minister

J

and the importance, therefore, of early action.

4. The DTI are, in fact, heavily engaged in an exercise which, although it might take two years to complete, would, I am assured, solve the various problems raised by Mr Pao. A member of DTI describes this exercise as "the abandonment of the old imperial attitude of the 1894 Act and the substitution by means of Regulations under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1970, of a realistic and enlightened approach more suited to the current world situation".

5. With the possible exception of Mr Service, Marine Division II, all the Heads of Divisions listed at paragraph 2 above are required to give their advice on the implications of Hong Kong "going it alone" and, whilst undoubtedly the matter is one of policy, I strongly recommend that we should not proceed further without DTI advice on this all-important issue.

6.

I have impressed on the DTI the need for urgency and I am promised a substantive reply in less than two weeks and an interim reply within the next few days. It would, I believe, be preferable to await the full reply before holding a meeting but suggest we consider this in light of the time still available when the interim reply is received.

complete

mw 1/%) on nuts with wooine /%

/7.

1

DD 737719 557664 500M 2/71 GM 3643/2