§ 36. Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state how many medical officers to the Board are acting at each of the various seaports in the United Kingdom; whether anything is done by them in supervising, during the construction of new vessels, the nature of the accommodation to be provided for the officers and crews, in order that such accommodation shall be adequate in space, ventilation, and in other matters ensuring proper hygienic conditions and eliminating any risks of subsequent insanitary conditions arising; and whether he proposes to appoint any further medical officers to deal with these matters?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe Marine Department of the Board of Trade has two salaried medical officers at Liverpool, and one each at London, Glasgow, and Queens-town. At other ports, such as Belfast, Bristol, Lame, Londonderry, Plymouth, and Southampton, local medical practitioners are employed as occasion requires. The inspection of the spaces provided on ships for the accommodation of the officers and crew is not made by these medical officers, but by the Board's staff of salaried ship engineer and nautical surveyors. The 3168 whole question of strengthening the survey staff is receiving the careful consideration of the Board of Trade.