35. Major BARNESasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller if he will cause to be issued a weekly Return of the number of vessels of over 500 tons deadweight actually being 2708 loaded with coal cargoes and the number awaiting turns to load such cargoes in the United Kingdom, together with the total deadweight carrying capacity in each case?
Colonel WILSONI should strongly deprecate the very considerable expenditure of time and labour that would be required in the preparation of such Returns, but if there is any specific point on which the hon. and gallant Member desires information, I shall be happy to supply it.
36. Major BARNESasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller if he will explain the principle adopted in the selection of tonnage for direction to carry cargoes at low scheduled rates, saying whether tramp tonnage Owned by the Ministry is so employed, and, if so, its percentage; whether liner-owned tramp tonnage is employed in the same way; and, if so, to what extent compared with other tramp steamers, both State and privately owned?
Colonel WILSONIn the selection of tonnage for the carriage of British Government cargoes at Government rates, the suitability of the available vessels is necessarily to a considerable extent the determining factor, but, so far as possible, care is taken to avoid the imposition of an undue amount of Government service upon any particular owner. In addition to the privately-owned vessels so selected, all Government-owned vessels are employed on Government work. The fact that a tramp steamer may happen to be owned by a company which also owns liner vessels in no way affects the selection on the lines indicated above, and such vessels are treated in precisely the same manner as other tramp steamers. The last part of the question does not, therefore, arise.