PETER Mandelson will tomorrow give evidence before a House of Commons committee over the controversy surrounding the Ghost Ships deal.

He will attend the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, which will take evidence on the controversial contract to dismantle American warships in Hartlepool.

Mr Mandelson is in favour of the ships coming to his constituency, arguing there is no risk to the environment and more than 200 jobs would be created.

He has dismissed Friends of the Earth concerns as "scare mongering" despite their assertion that the ships were brought over here before the necessary permissions were in place. He will be followed by Environment Agency chief executive Barbara Young and Environment Minister Elliot Morley, both of whom have argued the ships should be repatriated until legal and planning issues are resolved. Mr Mandelson's position is in direct opposition to local councillors, including members of the Labour group.

Hartlepool Borough Council has taken out a full page colour advertisement in The House, a magazine produced for MPs, members of the House of Lords and civil servants, to inform politicians about the ships, currently moored at Graythorp dock.

The council chairman, Councillor Carl Richardson, said the advert was designed to ensure every politician knew about the issue.

He said: "The council is still saying that until all the issues are resolved we want to see them sent back. We want to develop Hartlepool as a tourist town and since all this happened it is becoming obvious it is the majority of people in the town who are opposed to this, not just a minority."

Yesterday Able UK, the company involved in bringing the ships across from America, stepped up its campaign to convince the Government the ships should stay.

Managing director Peter Stephenson said Mr Mandelson, Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon and Stockton MP Frank Cook all gave the scheme their backing.