§ 15. Sir BASIL PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the amount of British tonnage idle and the number of British seamen unemployed, he will take steps to provide that preference granted on imports from the Dominions and Colonies should only apply in the case of goods carried in British ships?
§ Dr. BURGINI am not satisfied that the action suggested by my hon. Friend would ultimately decrease the amount of British tonnage idle or increase the number of British seamen employed.
§ Sir B. PETOIf the measure that I propose of finding some employment for British seamen does not commend itself to the Government, may I be assured that the matter is receiving their attention and that they have some definite policy in view to restore some measure of employment to British seamen?
§ Dr. BURGINCertainly. It will be understood that any suggestion such as the hon. Baronet makes might expose us more than it would help us. It might offer a greater target. It might be that we were more interested in maintaining the present system, than in the suggestion that he has made.
§ Mr. LOGANWas the hon. Gentleman's attention drawn to a Press notice that a captain sailed last week on a White Star liner as a fireman, and does he not see the necessity for British seamen to be employed on these ships?
§ Dr. BURGINCertainly, that necessity is being borne in. mind.
§ 31 . Lieut.-Colonel MOOREasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet decided on the steps which he proposes to take to assist the British shipbuilding industry; and, if so, will he state what they are?
§ Dr. BURGINNo scheme of Government assistance for shipbuilding generally is under consideration but His Majesty's Government have already taken steps to secure that the international aspects of shipping and shipbuilding as they affect this country shall be brought prominently to the notice of the World Economic Conference.
§ Lieut.-Colonel MOOREWill my hon. Friend convey to his right hon. Friend, the cause of whose absence we all deplore, that in view of his statement the other night at the annual dinner of the Chamber of Shipping, to the effect that certain measures of assistance were in contemplation, the country is anxiously awaiting to hear the steps proposed? And will be consider early action either by subsidies, or limiting the life of existing ships, or such other measures as may be effective?
§ Dr. BURGINI will communicate those observations to my right hon. Friend.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODWill the hon. Gentleman put before the Government the fact that three out of every five persons in this industry are unemployed? It is the worst industry in Britain.
§ Dr. BURGINIt is receiving a great deal of attention with a view to trying to remedy that state of affairs.
§ Mr. MAXTONWe have been having that for 10 years now.