§ 50. Mr. NEIL MACLEANasked the secretary of State for Scotland what provision is made during the holiday vacation of the captains of the fishery cruisers for substitutes.
§ The LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. Jamieson)During the holiday absence of a captain of a fishery cruiser the first officer acts in his place.
§ Mr. MACLEANAre we to understand that on all the fishery vessels there is no supplementary captain who can take the place of the captain when he goes on holiday, and that the crew must therefore be working short-handed in the absence of the captain?
§ The LORD ADVOCATEApparently, the work can be done during the captain's absence by the first officer without employing any substitute.
§ Mr. MACLEANDoes not that mean there is a shortage of the crew in the absence of the captain?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEWill the right hon. and learned Gentleman consider giving a holiday from persecution to English trawlers?
§ 51. Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision 346 is made during the holiday vacations of the members of the crews of the fishery cruisers to keep the vessels fully manned; whether any substitutes are provided to fill the places of the seamen; and, if not, whether he will take the necessary steps to see that these ships are kept with their full equipment during these periods.
§ The LORD ADVOCATEThe work of members of the crews absent on holiday is overtaken in ordinary course by the remaining members, and the employment of substitutes is not as a rule necessary. This procedure is in accordance with general practice and no impairment of efficency has resulted.
§ Mr. MACLEANConsidering that under the charge of the Fishery Board for Scotland there are five or six cruisers, is it not in the interests of the employment of seamen and also of the ships themselves that the full crew should be employed and unemployed seamen taken on to replace those on holiday?
§ The LORD ADVOCATEAs stated in the answer, it has been found that the efficient working of cruisers is possible under the practice which is being carried on.
§ Mr. MACLEANAre not complaints continually being made by the fishermen in Scotland as to the inefficiency of these cruisers in not being on the spot when illegal trawling is being done?
§ 52. Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision is made during the holiday vacations of the engineers of the fishery cruisers; whether he is aware that there are two engineers on each ship and when one goes on his holiday no other engineer is substituted, and the one left has to do the work during the holiday period; and whether, to promote efficiency, he will arrange for substitutes to be employed during the holiday periods?
§ The LORD ADVOCATEThe work of an engineer absent on holiday is undertaken either by the remaining engineer or, if necessary, by a temporary substitute. My right hon. Friend has no reason to suppose that the existing provision for this purpose is inadequate.
§ Mr. MACLEANDoes the right hon. and learned Gentleman consider that if 347 a fishery cruiser is to work efficiently it can cruise with only one engineer operating all the time when the other is away on holiday.
§ The LORD ADVOCATEWhere long voyages are necessary a substitute engineer is employed. When a cruiser is performing only short voyages so that the engineer can get proper time off, it is unnecessary to employ a substitute.
§ Mr. MACLEANrose—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has already put two or three supplementary questions.
§ Mr. MACLEANSurely I am right in giving notice that, in view of the unsatisfmctory nature of the answers, I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment?