HC Deb 21 May 1901 vol 94 cc772-4
MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the Board of Trade have laid down any regulations defining what constitutes the proper manning of ships, and whether there is any means at present of preventing ships going to sea without having amongst the crew a due proportion of proved A.B.'s.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, Central

In order to secure the efficient manning of emigrant ships, steam and sailing, the Board of Trade have laid down specific regulations and scales for the guidance of their officers. With regard to other vessels instructions have also been issued to secure such manning as will provide for an effective watch and for the detention of any under-manned ship. There is no provision either in the Merchant Shipping Act or in the regulations issued under it which requires the detention of a ship unless any particular proportion of the crew are proved A.B.'s.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will be kind enough to answer that portion of my question in which I inquire whether the Board of Trade have laid down any regulations defining what constitutes proper manning?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

I have answered that question.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

No, Sir; with great respect you have not. I again ask whether the Board of Trade consider that the shipping of men who are not proved A.B.'s constitutes under-manning?

MR. SPEAKER

Order order! The hon. Member has complained that the question on the Paper has not been answered, but he is now putting a question which is not on the Paper. If he wants further information he had better put the question down in the ordinary way.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

I have no doubt that if the right hon. Gentleman says he did answer my question I did not catch his reply. Perhaps he will be kind enough to repeat that portion of his answer in which he deals with my question asking whether any regulation of the Board of Trade defines what constitutes proper manning.

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

The hon. Member is now asking what the regulations are. I understood his question on the Paper to be as to whether any regulations are laid down, and I have no objection to repeating the answer I gave to it. (The right hon. Gentleman then again read his answer.)

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

With great respect, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he cannot give me a more definite or distinct answer to that portion of my question in which I inquire whether any of the regulations which the Board of Trade have laid down define what proper manning is? I am aware that there are regulations to secure proper manning, but I want to know is there any specific regulation which he can refer me to which defines what proper manning means?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

If the hon. Member desires to know exactly what the regulations are he had better put down a further question, but whether I shall be able to answer it within the limits of a reply I cannot say.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

Perhaps if I direct a letter to the right hon. Gentleman on this subject he could answer it more fully?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

Of course.