§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the recent Report of Her Majesty's Consul at St. Nazaire, that owing to the bounty allowed by the French Government on shipbuilding in France, contracts which would otherwise have been given to British shipbuilding yards have been withdrawn; and if he can suggest any remedy for a state of affairs so detrimental to British labour, or bring any influence to bear on the French Government to terminate this system of bounties?
§ MR. BRYCEI have seen the Report referred to. Other Reports seem to show that such increased activity as there may be in shipbuilding in France is chiefly due to requirements of the French Government for its naval purposes. It is entirely a matter for the French Government whether they should give bounties to their own shipbuilders, and I do not think that any representation from a foreign Power upon the subject would have any effect.