Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will detail the steps his Department is taking to ensure the close monitoring of ships registered to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea which change their (a) ship names, (b) flag, (c) company name and (d) reported beneficial owner; and if he will make a statement.

The Department for Transport takes all possible measures to ensure that all states implement and enforce UN Security Council resolutions. Such measures can include engagement with partner states, and the UN Panel of Experts on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), regarding the misuse of country flags by ships connected to the DPRK.

UN Security Council resolutions call on Member States to de-register any vessel that is owned, operated or crewed by the DPRK, and not to register any such vessels that have been de-registered by another Member State. The ship registry of the UK fully complies with this measure.