British Shipping-Charting A New Course

EDM number 268 in 1998-99, proposed by Gwyn Prosser on 03/02/1999.

That this House welcomes the publication of the DETR Paper 'British Shipping-Charting A New Course'; notes with concern the decline that UK merchant shipping has experienced in recent years; including steep reductions in the number of UK flagged ships and a decline in the pool of British seafarers; recognises the particular importance of shipping both for trade and national security and that shipping is an expanding global business; endorses the paper's emphasis on increasing skills, encouraging employment, and increasing the United Kingdom's attractiveness to shipping enterprises, including maritime London; urges the Government to build on the 33 policy measures mapped out in the paper to secure a strong future for this vital national asset and to continue the partnership between Government, shipping companies and the maritime trade unions; further notes that an appropriate fiscal environment is a key element in retaining a significant shipping sector; and calls on the Government to discuss fiscal options with the United Kingdom shipping industry in the pre-Budget consultation, including a full consideration of tonnage-based systems of corporation tax.

This motion has been signed by a total of 97 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.