TNAG-1314-FCO40-1696-Working-papers-for-use-at-talks-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 17

I

1.

INTRODUCTION

In October 1981 the Department published a Consultative

document "Review of Parts I and IV of the Merchant Shipping

Act 1894: the Registration of Ships," with a view to

introducing a Bill to modernise the relevant sections of

the 1894 Act. That document was widely circulated and

valuable comments and suggestions were received. One of the

topics to be covered in the new legislation was the establish-

ment of a simplified system for the registration of small

ships (mainly pleasure craft). This was dealt with separately

in the Merchant Shipping Act 1983, but due to pressures on

the

the Parliamentary timetable it did not prove possible to

include in that Act the more substantial reforms of the system

of registration which had been envisaged. However, the

Department has taken the opportunity to consider further these

proposals, to hold detailed discussions with the Governments

of British Dependent Territories as foreshadowed in the

Consultative document of 1981 and to widen the scope of

future legislation by including new provisions dealing with ~

wreck and miscellaneous other desirable changes.

2.

If Parliamentary time allows, the Government intends

to introduce a Merchant Shipping Bill towards the end of

1984 to deal with these matters. The purpose of this paper

is to seek the views of the shipping industry and other

interests concerned about proposed changes in the ship

registration system (Parts II to VII) and a number of

miscellaneous provisions (Part VIII). A.

The latter

include measures to extend powers to protect UK shipping

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