(1)The Secretary of State may, with the consent of the Treasury, give financial assistance to—
(a)the owner of a ship registered in the British Islands, or
(b)any manager of a ship so registered, being either an individual ordinarily resident in the British Islands or a body corporate which is incorporated in the British Islands and has its principal place of business there,
in respect of travel and other costs incurred by the owner or manager in connection with members of the ship’s crew joining or leaving the ship outside the limited European trading area.
(2)If the Secretary of State so determines, eligibility for assistance under this section shall be conditional on the fulfilment of such conditions with respect to all or any of the following matters as are specified in his determination—
(a)the nationality of any person in relation to whom any such costs as are mentioned in subsection (1) above are incurred;
(b)the ordinary residence of any such person;
(c)the place (outside the limited European trading area) where any such person joins or leaves his ship.
(3)Assistance under this section may be given by way of a grant or loan or otherwise; and in giving any such assistance the Secretary of State may impose such conditions as he thinks fit.
(4)For the purposes of this section—
(a)the crew of a ship shall be taken to include the master and other officers of the ship; and
(b)“the limited European trading area” has the same meaning as it has for the purposes of any regulations made under section 47.