§ 65. Mr. FELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he has jurisdiction over, the regulations which provide for the management and equipment of lighters and barges on the Thames; and, if so, can he have them amended so as to provide that each lighter must have on board at least one lifebuoy available in case either of the lightermen fall overboard, having regard to the frequency of this accident and to the fact that the men can rarely swim?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Buxton)The jurisdiction of the Board of Trade in this matter is limited to a power of confirming by-laws which may be made by the Port of London Authority under the Thames Watermen's and Lightermen's Act, 1893, as amended by the Port of London Act, 1908. I am informed by the Port Authority that when revising the by-laws relating to the registration and licensing of lighters and 1043 lightermen they will not lose sight of their powers to make by-laws dealing with the matters referred to by the hon. Member.