§ 11. Mr. James Callaghanasked the Minister of Transport if there is any intention of closing down or modifying the operation of the Merchant Navy reserve pool.
§ Mr. BarnesAs I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Kirkdale (Mr. Keenan) on 2nd December, the present arrangement will terminate at the end of this year, but the National Maritime Board have, for some time, had under consideration the question of possible future arrangements. At the request of that Board, the Government furnished them, at the end of October, with information on a number of points that will arise if the Board should decide to proceed with an approved arrangement for the supplementation of benefit under the Un employment Insurance Acts and the corresponding provisions of the National Insurance Act of 1946.
§ Mr. CallaghanIs my right hon. Friend aware that this news will be received very badly among a large number of seafarers? May I ask whether coloured British sea men will have at least as good treatment as white British seamen in the new arrangements?
§ Mr. BarnesI cannot reply definitely on the question of coloured seamen, but if my hon. Friend indicates that our own seamen are receiving good treatment, we will certainly bear in mind the claims of coloured seamen.
§ Mr. J. J. RobertsonIs my right hon. Friend satisfied that in future the conditions will be adequate to protect merchant seamen against the bad conditions which they have had in the years between the wars?
§ Mr. BarnesI am unable to say at the moment whether they will be adequate, but I am watching this matter with very careful interest.
§ Lieut.-Commander Gurney BraithwaiteIs not the announcement which the right hon. Gentleman has just made in some 731 conflict with the very definite pledge on this matter given by the right hon. Gentleman the Foreign Secretary when he was Minister of Labour in the Coalition Government?
§ Mr. BarnesNo, I do not think so. At the moment, as I have indicated, this matter is under consideration by the National Maritime Board, which is fully representative of both sides of the industry.
§ Mr. Hector HughesWhen the pool is closed down, what does the Minister pro pose to substitute for it in order to prevent chaos?
§ Mr. BarnesAs I have indicated, I am awaiting an announcement of the arrangements made by the National Maritime Board which, I repeat, is representative of both sides of the industry.