§ Mr. KNOTTasked whether attention has been called to the growing policy of foreign countries to give State aid to their shipbuilders and shipowners by subsidies, bounties, loans at nominal interest, and by coasting reservations, to the injury of British tonnage; and whether he proposes to take any steps to combat the evil?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, except as regards shipbuilding and the coasting trade. In all cases where such action on the part of foreign Governments is held by His Majesty's Government to constitute a violation of existing international agreements, to which they are a party, steps are invariably taken to assert the rights of British shipping, and where possible to obtain regress.