Mr. SHIRLEY BENNasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the number of foreigners who are captains of British ships and who do not possess Board of Trade certificates of competency or service?
Mr. BUXTONThe latest available figures as to the number of foreigners in command of British ships are those of the Census of Seamen of 1906, which show that, on 4th April, out of a total of 13,099 masters enumerated, 177 were foreigners. 16 I am unable to state definitely how many of these did not hold British certificates, but the Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen estimates the number at probably less than fifty.
Mr. SHIRLEY BENNasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state, the number of British ships trading abroad which made use of British Consular offices between the 1st January and the 30th September, 1911, and had on board crews shipped at a foreign port?
Mr. BUXTONI have as yet no information with regard to the particular period referred to by the hon. Member, but according to the Census taken in 1906, on 4th April of that year, the crews of 859 British ships were under agreements opened abroad. I am not able to say definitely how many of these made use of Consular offices in the course of their voyages, but it is probable that a very large proportion did.