§ 30. Mr. Liptonasked the Minister of Transport what the result has been of his consultations with interested bodies about the introduction of a seamanship test for boat owners.
§ Mr. MarplesSome of the bodies consulted have not yet been able to let me have their final views, but I hope to receive them shortly.
§ Mr. LiptonMay I thank the right hon. Gentleman for the sympathetic attitude he showed to the proposal when I first put it forward? Before the usual crop of holiday fatalities occur, will he try to urge the interested bodies to deal with this matter with a greater degree of expedition than apparently they have shown?
§ Mr. MarplesI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his gratitude, although I am bound to say that it makes me a little apprehensive. We did write to a large number of bodies—the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the Dock and Harbour Authorities' Association, the Royal Yachting Association, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, and many others. It is difficult to ask these bodies to produce their replies quickly, but I will do my best to expedite the matter. It is in their hands and not so much in the hands of the Government.
§ Mr. Grant-FerrisHas the attention of my right hon. Friend been drawn to the correspondence and the editorial comment about this in the boating Press, strongly advocating that no precipitate action should be taken not only in this case but in other matters, including boat registration?
§ Mr. MarplesI am convinced that this will raise questions which will have many complications and that it would be much better that the Government should be absolutely right and a little late with their decision, rather than early and wrong.