HC Deb 17 October 1912 vol 42 cc1418-9
68. Sir HILDRED CARLILE

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether there will be any further opportunity of discussing the draft regulations for the provision of life-saving appliances before they become Law?

Mr. BUXTON

The rules relating to life-saving appliances have to lie on the Table of the House forty days after they are made before they can come into operation. The rules have not yet been finally settled, and I am now in communication with the various interests concerned on certain points to which attention was called in the recent debate.

Sir H. CARLILE

Am I to take it from that reply that no opportunity will be given?

Mr. BUXTON

I would rather there would be no occasion for further discussion.

Mr. BONAR LAW

Arising out of that further reply, may I ask whether it is the case, as I hope it is, that the right hon. Gentleman is in communication with representatives of the shipping interests with a view to coming to an agreement with regard to them.

Mr. BUXTON

As the right hon. Gentleman knows, we had a debate, I think a very useful debate, on the first day of the Session; in which various criticisms were made with regard to the draft rules which I had laid on the Table, with the special view of having criticisms made from various points of view. I have been in communication with various interests concerning the shipowners and others, and I hope we may be able to come to a fair solution of a very difficult problem.