§ 67 Sir FORTESCUE FLANNERYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller whether his attention has been called to the fact that foreign ships are calling at British ports to pick up British passengers while various British lines, which have been maintaining regular services for over half a century, are prevented from taking such passengers owing to the British Government having requisitioned practically the whole of their available accommodation for the return of demobilised men and their dependants and other Government passengers; whether the requisitioning of such a large proportion of the limited passenger accommodation at present available in British ships precludes many producers and merchants from sending representatives abroad for the purpose of re-establishing British export trade and securing at least some portion of the trade formerly carried on by Germany; and whether he can state the steps now being taken by the Government to remedy these defects?
Colonel WILSONIt is true that the repatriation of troops and munition workers and their dependants results in a very great restriction for the accommodation available for civilians, but this is-unavoidable. We are doing our best by bringing German ships into service to relieve the situation, and conditions should improve as repatriation progresses.
§ Sir F. FLANNERYIs any attempt being made to make use of any of the eighty nine German vessels which have been assigned to America and has my hon. and gallant Friend in view the fact that we lost 7,600,000 tons whilst the whole of the Allies lost less than 2,000,000 tons during the War?
Colonel WILSONThat is a question which should be asked of the Leader of the House. We are using ships allocated under the terms of the Armistice for the repatriation of Colonial troops, but the remaining part of the question is one which I cannot answer.