HC Deb 01 December 1930 vol 245 c1803
83 . Mr. MORLEY

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the proportion of foreign seamen to British seamen employed in the British Mercantile Marine?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. W. R Smith)

I would refer my hon. Friend to the information contained in the answer which I gave on 5th November to a similar question asked by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Ken-worthy), from which it will be seen that, excluding Lascars entirely, the proportion of foreign seamen employed in the British Mercantile Marine on 31st March, 1929, was about 11 per cent.

Mr. C. WILLIAMS

Is this proportion increasing?

Mr. SMITH

I could not say without notice.