§ 4. Mr. MITCHESONasked the President of the Board of Trade the total number of British-owned cargo ships in the last quarter of each of the years 1929, 1930 and 1931, respectively, and the number of these sold to foreigners during each of the years named, respectively?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANSeparate particulars relating to cargo vessels are not available. According to the Returns of the Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen, the number of vessels registered under Part 1 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, that were reported as remaining on the register at ports in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands on 31st December, 1929, 1930 and 1931, was 18,062, 18,117 and 17,979 respectively. The number of vessels reported as removed from the register on sale to foreigners was 240 in 1929, 238 in 1930 and 208 in 1931.
§ Mr. NEIL MACLEANAre any further efforts being made by the right hon. Gentleman's Department to get the shipbuilders and the shipowners together 1091 to try to evolve some satisfactory scheme to do away with the sale of ships to foreigners?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo. We have no reason to suppose that this is at all a detrimental movement for the British Mercantile Marine.
§ Mr. MACLEANBut is it not the case that a Select Committee was set up three or four years ago, and cannot something be done to get some satisfactory agreement between shipowners and shipbuilders, as the report of the last Committee was rendered nugatory because there was no satisfactory agreement?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe report of the last Committee was unanimously against the proposal for the breaking up scheme.
§ Mr. MACLEANWas not the report of the last Committee that they could not arrive at a satisfactory arrangement, not that they could not agree to this scheme?