asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any further consideration has now been given to the conditions under which vessels are entitled to be registered as British and to fly the Red Ensign; and whether it is intended to make any changes in the near future?

The statutory requirements relating to the registration of British ships are contained in Part I of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894. As I stated on 5th July last in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing (Sir F. Sanderson), it is not proposed to alter the existing law of registry.