§ 48. Mr. LYELLasked the Postmaster-General what subsidies are paid to Messrs. Elder, Dempster and Company and to Messrs. Woermann in connection with their services of steamships to and from British ports on the West Coast of Africa; and whether, in view of the complaints which have been received, he will consider the question of making these subsidies conditional on an improvement in the sanitary conditions of the steamships?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELMessrs. Elder, Dempster are paid an annual sum of £15,335 for the conveyance of letter mails to and from West Africa. A further amount, which varies according to the volume of traffic, is paid in respect of the conveyance of parcel mails. £6,739 was paid under this head for the year ending 31st March, 1912. The Woermann Line performs the service under contract with the German Government, and I am not in a position to furnish the information asked for. I have no knowledge of the complaints mentioned by the hon. Member, but in any case the only ground upon which the postal subsidy is conditional is the punctual performance of the mail service.