§ 15. Mr. HARDIEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his Department is willing to consider the certification of sea-going electricians on the same lines as sea-going engineers?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTEROn the information before me, I do not think that there are, at the present time, sufficient grounds for proposing legislation to compel ships to carry certificated electricians in addition to the certificated engineers which they are already required by law to carry.
§ Mr. HARDIEIn view of the increasing responsibility of electrical engineers, and the fact that an electrically-propelled 209 ship is now being built in Glasgow and that sonic engineers from the marine side have been taken on for her, does not the right hon. Gentleman see the necessity of having this class of engineers put on the same basis in this respect as the ordinary steam engineers?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERNo, Sir. This matter has been carefully considered and will, of course, continue to be watched, but in the first place ordinary engineering officers have an increasing knowledge of electricity, and, in the second place, hon. Members know that in the case of nearly all electrical plant there is an alternative plant for use if it, goes wrong. It must also be kept in mind that if large repairs had to be done to the electrical equipment, the ship would have to go into dock.