asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will specify the measures which the Government intend to introduce to assist the merchant shipping industry.

A merchant shipping Bill will he introduced which will seek to implement three proposals. These are: assistance with industry's training costs, and with travel costs incurred in crew changeovers in distant waters, and the establishment of a Merchant Navy Reserve. These measures will help ensure the availability of trained British seafarers in n emergency. In the interests of maritime safety, the Bill will also revise the law on ship registration, including categorisation of the shipping registers of the dependent territories.