§ 3. Vice-Admiral TAYLORasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the present position of British shipping?
§ Dr. BURGINI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend in the Debate on this subject on 13th December last, and to the reply I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Salford South (Mr. Stourton).
§ Vice-Admiral TAYLORIn view of the national importance of British shipping, 180 may I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he can state when measures will be brought forward in order to enable British shipping to compete with that of foreign countries, which in fact in every case to-day is subsidised in one form or another?
§ Dr. BURGINThe Government are very concerned about the position of British shipping, but we are waiting for a good deal of information from the shipping industry itself.
§ Vice-Admiral TAYLORCannot the hon. Gentleman say when they are likely to receive the whole of that information and decide upon it, as this matter is so important?
§ Dr. BURGINNo time will be lost once the information is received, but a good deal of information has been asked for, and the replies have not yet come in.