§ 12. Sir BASIL PETOasked the Secretary of State for India if he is aware that passage certificates granted by the Government of India, under the Lee Commission Scheme to and from India, are available by foreign steamship lines, though British vessels are in a position to carry the whole of this traffic; and whether he will consider limiting the use of these passage certificates to British ships?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Members of the Indian Services value the privilege conferred on them by the rules of selecting the line of steamer by which they will travel as concession passengers, and I should be reluctant to impose any actual restriction on their freedom of choice, which I am sure officers will exercise with due regard to the considerations which my hon. Friend has in view.
§ Sir B. PETOIs it not a fact that passenger fares are now being undercut by foreign vessels, and in these circumstances will the Secretary of State use his influence to give preference to British vessels, which are ready to carry all this traffic?
§ Sir S. HOAREI am very conscious of that consideration. At the same time, I have to keep in mind the wishes of the officials themselves, and in point of fact they do find that occasionally certain foreign ships give them greater convenience in the matter of dates and speed than British lines.