§ 12. Mr. HOUSTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is his Department that controls and employs enemy vessels which were interned in British ports or captured as prizes and not sold to private owners, and are, or have been, employed in carrying coal or other cargoes from British ports to British and French ports, in carrying cargo from Indian, Colonial, or foreign ports to ports in the United Kingdom or in Allies' countries, and coal or other cargo outwards 380 from this country, in carrying troops, animals, munitions of war, stores, foodstuffs, or coal on Government account; If not his Department, will he state respectively which Department does control and handle each of the aforementioned classes, and will he state whether profits are being made by the employment of these steamers and how the profits will ultimately be disposed of; and whether there is any intention of crediting or handing over any portion of the profits to the alien enemy owners of these vessels—at the time of internment or capture—after the termination of the War?
Mr. RUNCIMANThe arrangements for the employment and control of such captured and interned enemy vessels as are used in the carrying trade are made by a Special Committee of representatives of the Government Departments concerned, under the chairmanship of Vice-Admiral Sir E. Slade. The ships which have been requisitioned for Admiralty purposes are under the control of the Admiralty; and a certain number of ships are being utilised under the control of the Indian and Australian Governments. It has not yet been decided how any profits that may be made in each class of case will ultimately be disposed of, but there is no intention of handing them over to the alien enemy owners or ex-owners of the vessels.