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Shipping: Territorial Waters

Asked by Ian RoomeLiberal DemocratDepartment for TransportTabled Answered 23 June 2026UIN 9889

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to verify the claimed registered nationalities of ships sailing in UK territorial waters.

Answered by Keir Mather

The Government continuously monitors UK waters to ensure the safety of mariners, protect the marine environment and uphold the UK's national security.

Where steps are required to verify the flag status of a vessel, this is done on a case-by-case basis in collaboration with all relevant government departments and agencies.

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