§ 2.36 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether they can state how many tankers are now being used for the storage of oil or motor spirit; how many ships and their tonnage now being used for the storage of refrigerated meat; how long these ships have been requisitioned and on what terms; and for how long it is anticipated that they will be required.]
§ LORD MACDONALD OF GWAENYSGORMy Lords, only three very old Government-owned tankers have been used for the storage of oil for Government purposes. I understand that British-controlled oil companies also use a few old tankers for the storage of their oil. All these vessels are quite unsuitable for other purposes. No tankers are under requisition. There are eleven ships, the gross registered tonnage of which is nearly 86,000 tons, at present being used as refrigerated storage for 38,000 tons of meat. These ships have not been requisitioned, but have been chartered for a period of three months with power for 1521 extension by mutual agreement amongst the parties, at a monthly cost of £3 10s. 0d. per 100 cubic feet of refrigerator space. They will be ready for redelivery during January and February, 1950.
§ EARL HOWEI am not clear whether the noble Lord gave me any figure for tankers. With regard to the use of refrigerator ships for meat storage, would the noble Lord not agree that the use of these ships ought to be brought to an end as soon as possible, since it is a most uneconomic way of using merchant ship tonnage?
§ LORD MACDONALD OF GWAENYSGORIn reply to the first part of the noble Earl's supplementary question, the number is three. I gave this number in my reply. With regard to the second part, that matter is under consideration. As I said in my reply, these ships will be ready for re-delivery during January and February, 1950—the near future.