§ 30. Mr. Petherickasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the tariffs under which pilots are paid were cut owing to the slump in 1932 and have never been restored; and whether, in view of the improved position of the shipping industry, he will take steps to have the tariffs restored to the previous rate?
§ 31. Mr. Wiseasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the discrepancy in the method under which pilots are paid, the practice in some ports being to pay them on a footage basis and in some on a tonnage basis; and whether he will take steps to ensure that the practice of paying on a tonnage basis is made general?
32. Colonel Sandeman Allenasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to ensure that a pilotage pension fund is set up in all those ports of the United Kingdom in which no such pension fund now exists?
Mr. StanleyI have no power to take the steps suggested by my hon. Friends, as any alteration of pilotage rates and of the basis on which they are charged, as also the introduction of pilotage pension funds, can only be dealt with by means of by-laws made by the various pilotage authorities under Sections 17 and 18 of the Pilotage Act, 1913.
§ Lord ApsleyShould there be any application to the Board of Trade for an inquiry by the Board of Trade, will my right hon. Friend see that the inquiry is carried out as expeditiously as possible, and by a fully qualified legal arbitrator?
§ Mr. Benjamin SmithDoes not the right hon. Gentleman receive these regulations and have to endorse them in each case, and will he see that some reparation is made in the case of these pilots?
Mr. StanleyIf the hon. Member will look at the Act, with which no doubt he is familiar, he will see that Section 18 sets out the circumstances in which pilots can make representations.