§ MR. E. H. BAYLEY (Camberwell, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if it is a fact that any person holding a boatman's licence is eligible for service in the lifeboats of the National Lifeboat Institution; whether there is any inquiry made as to the capacity of the crews manning the lifeboats; and whether, in connection with any future investigation in respect to the loss of a vessel where the services of a lifeboat were sought and not obtained, he will instruct the Board of Trade Inspector to ascertain, as far as possible, the general practice governing the Lifeboat Service in the locality?
§ MR. MUNDELLAAs I stated, in answer to a question some time ago, I have no control over the Lifeboat Service, which is under the management of the National Lifeboat Institution. I have communicated with the Institution with regard to the points raised by my hon. Friend, and I am assured that every possible care is taken that the men who man the boats are efficient and properly trained. In any future investigation of the nature referred to in the question, it will be the duty of the Inspector, as it has been in the past, to go fully into all the circumstances attending the loss of the vessel.