§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSON (Middlesbrough)On behalf of the honourable Member for Battersea I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state the 1023 amount of cubic space insisted upon by the Local Government Board for each adult person living in registered common lodging houses; whether he is aware that the lascar seamen employed on the P. and 0. steamship "Caledonia," now lying in the Victoria, and Albert Dock, have less than 70 cubic feet of space per person alloted to them; whether this dock is under the supervision of the Sanitary Authority for the Port of London; and whether the Local Government Hoard have control over the Port Sani-tarv Authority; and, if so, whether the President of the Local Government Board will give instructions for the Port Sanitary Inspector to inspect the forecastles of all P. and 0. steamships, and insist upon the lascar crews having proper accommodation provided for them?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, SleafordThe amount of cubic space which should be required for each person in a registered common lodging house is a, matter to be determined by the local authority, and is not subject to the approval of the Local Government Board. I am informed that the cubic space allotted to lascar seamen on board the "Caledonia" is 70 cubic feet or upwards. The dock appears to be within the district of the Sanitary Authority for the Port of London. I have communicated with the officers of the Port Sanitary Authority, and I understand that the amount of accommodation to be provided for lascar seamen is considered to be prescribed by an East Indian Act, and that if the allotted space is less than that prescribed by law proceedings are taken by summons under the Public Health Act.