§ 43. Mr. CHARLES BARRIEasked the Secretary to the Admiralty if early attention will be given to the question of releasing to their owners as soon as possible a certain proportion of the steam drifters and other fishing vessels now in use by the Admiralty; in what priority it is intended to release the vessels; and if the fishermen will be released from service in priority to others in the Service, inasmuch as their labour would materially assist in supplementing the available quantity of foodstuffs?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. Friend will no doubt see the answer I have given to the hon. Member for Blackburn. The statement I there made bears generally upon the particular point here raised. To that general statement, and in reply to this question, I would say that every attention is being given to the question of releasing to their owners, as early as possible after demobilisation, a certain proportion of fishing vessels. As far as the exigencies of the Service allow, it is intended that the vessels as they become available should be released in equitable proportion among the owners. Fishermen under the same conditions will be released to keep pace with the transfer of trawlers and drifters from Admiralty to fishing service.
§ Sir E. CARSONMay I ask whether the Admiralty will give special consideration to the great services that have been rendered by the mine-sweepers
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI concur, of course, most fully in the testimony to the mine-sweepers involved in that question. The point was put to me in a question the other day, and I then assured my questioner that it was up to us, and that we should do all we could to meet those men in every way.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs demobilisation being postponed until the declaration of peace or is it taking place now?
§ Dr. MACNAMARALet me read from my general reply:
It may very well be until the safety of the country at sea is fully assured officers and men cannot be relieved. We are fully confident that 3190 this will be cheerfully accepted as being at once the burden and the privilege of the Empire's first line of defence.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODCan no ships be released for the fishing population, in spite of the men being retained?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAWe will do all we can for them.