MR. CEILLY (Mayo, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, if an advisory or consultative committee has been formed, on his suggestion, to consider questions relating to the lighthouse administration of the kingdom; if so, who are the members of the committee, what are their functions and powers, by whom and on what principle they were elected, where and when do they meet, and are the expenses of the committee defrayed out of the Mercantile Marine or any other public fund.
§ MR. RITCHIEAn advisory committee has been formed by the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom for the purpose of representing to the Board of Trade and the lighthouse authorities the views of shipowners and others with regard to all questions of new works proposed to be carried out by the lighthouse authorities. The committee consists of twelve members, of whom four represent English shipowners, two Scottish 591 shipowners, and two Irish shipowners, one of the English shipping representatives having been selected by the Liverpool Steamship Owners' Association. In addition to the shipping members, the committee includes two merchants selected by the Association of Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom, and two underwriters representing Lloyd's and the Liverpool Underwriters' Association. I shall be happy to supply the hon. Member with a list of the names. I have made arrangements for a meeting between the committee and representatives of the lighthouse authorities at the Board of Trade early next month for the purpose of considering the new works proposed to be undertaken during the coming financial year. There is no public fund out of which the expenses of the committee can be defrayed.