HC Deb 10 May 1901 vol 93 c1315
MR. JOYCE (Limerick)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state if the Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Company are now providing the Lascar seamen on the vessels of their fleet with 72 cubic feet of space as accommodation, as specified in Section 210 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894; whether he can now state if the lawsuit which the Board of Trade have, during the past eighteen months, been endeavouring to arrange with this company, with a view to testing whether the Imperial Merchant Shipping Act applies to Lascars serving on board British ships, is likely to be heard, and whether he can explain the delay in its being brought before the courts.

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

The Peninsular and Oriental Company do not in all cases provide their Lascar seamen with the space required by Section 210 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894. When space is not so provided no deduction from tonnage with respect to the deficient space is allowed. The petition of right presented by the Peninsular and Oriental Company was duly fiated by the Attorney General towards the end of last year, and the answer on behalf of the Crown has been delivered. No undue delay has occurred in bringing the proceedings to this point, and it may be expected that the petition will be set down for hearing shortly.