§ 86. Mr. DORANasked the President of the Board of Trade the number of alien deck hands employed by British merchant shipping companies; and whether, in view of the number of British-born men in the merchant navy who are unable to obtain employment, he will take steps to prohibit the employment of any save English subjects on English ships?
§ Lieut.-Colonel J. COLVILLE (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)The number of seamen employed in British ships is ascertained only at a date when a census of seamen is taken, and the latest information relates to 26th April, 1931. On that date the number of seamen of foreign nationality (other than lascars) employed in sea-trading vessels registered at ports in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, who were classified as "Deck Hands," was 2,001. The number of lascars who were not of British nationality is not known. I deeply regret the unemployment among British Merchant Service Officers and Seamen, but I am not aware of any action that can usefully be taken in the direction suggested.
§ Mr. LOGANIs not it possible for the Minister to take action with the Board of Trade and ask them to employ British sailors, seeing that most of these men are employed at under rates?
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLEThe question was considered, and I would point out that last year the percentage of British subjects employed as seamen in- 1160 creased as compared with the previous year.
§ Mr. LOGANWith all due respect, are you aware that public relief is being paid in the City of Liverpool to many seagoing men; that these men are unemployed and that we are paying money from the public rates when we could be employing our own seamen?
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLEYes, Sir, these considerations are being borne in mind, but, as I said in the original answer, the proposal to take steps to prohibit the employment of all save British subjects is not considered desirable.