§ 69. Mr. BUTCHERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that on the 7th November, 1912, the Government agreed to the issue of a Return showing the legal obligations of the owners of merchant vessels trading under the flags of Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Russia, Denmark, Austria-Hungary, Netherlands, Greece, and Belgium, towards their captains, officers, and seamen, with regard to the following matters, namely, old age pensions, pensions to widows and orphans, accident compensation, Sunday labour, daily hours of labour at sea and in port, payment for work performed in excess of fixed hours of labour, medical treatment, accommodation and passages of distressed seamen, and the regulations of these different countries for the preservation of discipline on board 36 their merchant ships; whether steps have been taken for the preparation of such Return; whether the same has now been completed; and, if not, what is the cause of the delay; and whether, in view of the importance of this Return to the merchant shipping community, he will state when this Return will be issued?
§ Mr. BURNSThe Return to which the hon. Member refers was presented to the House of Lords on Wednesday, 18th March.