that the risk of a shortage was not so great as to warrant the UK Government relaxing its requirements for British officers at the levels concerned.
The question was raised of the position of companies such as Jardine Matheson and Butterfield and Swires with long Hong Kong associations which registered their ships either in Hong Kong or in the UK. It was thought that special arrange- ments might be made to allow the ships of such companies to be registered in Hong Kong and take advantage of the new arrangements. Another special category already mentioned were ships with Hong Kong crews and Mr Rice-Oxley agreed to look into the numbers of these.
The question whether the effort to restrict the advantages of the new proposals, at least initially, to bona fide Hong Kong shipowners could be thwarted by changes of ownership of Hong Kong companies was raised, and Mr Archer said that the Department would consider the details of the control with the Hong Kong Government, but every effort would be made to prevent circumvention of this sort.
Mr Rice-Oxley raised the question of approval of crew accommoda- tion, and Mr Archer said that this would be regarded as a matter under the control of the DTI-seconded surveyors.
The survey of radio equipment was discussed and it was agreed that the Department would look into this.
In conclusion, Mr Archer said that the concern expressed by the Chamber and Federation, especially with regard to the desirability of UK shipowners having access to any advantageous arrangements reached for Hong Kong, would be brought to the attention of Ministers, but he felt that it was unlikely that we should be prepared to relax on this point. He pointed out that the arrangement was in any event a temporary one and that no decision had been made with regard to the long-term situation.
Marine Division 18 July 19 July 1973
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