Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent findings of the UK Flag Advisory Panel on reform of the UK Ship Register.

The findings of the UK Ship Register Advisory Panel formed part of the evidence considered by the Maritime Growth Study, published on 7 September, and helped inform the Chair’s specific recommendations on the UK Ship Register.

The Government will respond formally to the Maritime Growth Study by the end of 2015, but is taking immediate action in response to some recommendations. This includes taking steps to support the improved operation of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) by appointing a commercial director to lead the UK Ship Register separately from the Agency’s regulatory functions and developing a business case to explore the costs and benefits of options for more significant reform of the MCA.