Seamen's Recruitment Committee

HC Deb 01 April 1965 vol 709 cc1827-8

3. Mr. Rankin

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has studied the Final Report of the Seamen's Recruitment Committee appointed by the Governor of Hong Kong on 14th March, 1963, in the light of certain resolutions passed at the first Asian Maritime Conference of the International Labour Organisation, held at Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon, in 1953; and how many of the recommendations of the Committee have been accepted and are in operation.

Mrs. White

Yes, Sir. All the recommendations of the Committee have been accepted in principle subject to some variation in detail. Legislation is being drafted and it is hoped that the Seamen's Recruitment Office will be in full operation by October.

Mr. Rankin

Is my hon. Friend aware that a year ago the Transport and General Workers' Union seconded a senior officer to work under the auspices of the International Federation of Trade Unions in Hong Kong in order to inquire into conditions there? Is she further aware that his report has revealed that conditions for seamen sailing out of Hong Kong in regard to wages and other matters connected with their work are a disgrace to civilisation? Will she realise that mere acceptance of the report is insufficient? Will she—[Hon. MEMBERS: "Speech."]—press the Hong Kong Government to act on this Report as quickly as possible, because of the fact that the conditions—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The Minister had better answer as far as we have got.

Mrs. White

As I have already informed my hon. Friend, the main recommendation was that a Seamen's Recruitment Office should be established in order to avoid the very unsatisfactory things to which he has referred. This is to be done by October, which I think is as quickly as possible.

Mr. Rankin

While I welcome that reply—[HON. MEMBERS: "Order."]—I must nevertheless—

Mr. Speaker

I do not know what the hon. Member is doing, but he is not using words for the purpose of giving notice or raising any point of order.

Mr. Rankin

Further to that point of order—[HON. MEMBERS: "It is not."]— I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment in order that I may complete my supplementary question.