§ 7. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the waiting room provided for seamen at the Board of Trade office at Hull does not provide proper shelter and reasonable facilities for seamen having business with the Board of Trade; and will he cause inquiries to be made into the matter?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI am informed that the waiting room provided for seamen at the Board of Trade office at Hull appears to be adequate for the purpose. No complaints have previously 2778 been received, and I should be glad to learn exactly what the hon. and gallant Member has in mind in this connection.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this room is frequently crowded and a great many men have to wait outside in inclement weather?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERNo, I have had no complaint at all. I have made inquiries, and I find that immediately opposite the Board of Trade office there is the Seamen's Mission, which is a building with splendid accommodation of all kinds.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs that any excuse for the Board of Trade not providing proper facilities? We all recognise the work of the Seamen's Mission, but does that relieve the Board of Trade of its obligations?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERMy information is that there are never a great many people waiting in the Board of Trade waiting room and there is this extraordinarily good accommodation exactly across the way.
§ 8. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the room provided at Hull for the medical examination of seamen is unsuited for such purposes; and will he take steps, in the interest of the health of seamen, to cause proper accommodation to be provided?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERMedical examinations of seamen at Hull are not carried out at the Board of Trade offices, and no accommodation is provided there for the purpose. Any examination of seamen by the medical inspector appointed under the Merchant Shipping Acts would be held at his surgery, but no application has been received for such examination for some years.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that seamen are examined on these premises, and that the accommodation is very inadequate?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERNo, that is exactly contrary to the answer I have just given. I have made inquiries, and 2779 my information is that examinations are not carried out at the Board of Trade office. If there were any examinations, they would be carried out at the medical officer's surgery, but there has been no examination for some years.