LORD MUSKERRYMy Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government whether they will furnish the names of the representatives of the shipping interest with whom the President of the Board of Trade was in communication preparatory to introducing the Merchant Shipping Bill; and whether the Merchant Service Guild or other organisations representing seafarers were communicated with in a similar way before the introduction of the Bill.
§ *THE EARL OF GRANARDMy Lords, in reply to the noble Lord, I have to say that the President of the Board of Trade held some perfectly informal meetings with different members of the seafaring and shipowning community. His Majesty's Government, however, do not feel disposed to give the names of the representatives whom the Board of Trade consulted on the matter.