§ Sir F. NELSONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that in cross-Channel steamers such as, for instance, the "Maid of Kent," Government Regulations permit 1,399 passengers and 63 crew to he carried; whether such a total is ever carried; and, if so, is he satisfied that boat accommodation for 382 only is adequate, having regard to the fact that in any major disaster the residue carried would have to rely on the buoyant apparatus?
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSThe numbers permitted on the cross-Channel steamers were shown in the answer given to my hon. Friend on 29th January. The Southern Railway inform me that the greatest number of passengers ever carried on the "Maid of Kent" is 1,048; I am unable to say without further inquiries whether the full numbers have ever been carried on any of the other steamers, but I will have inquiries made and inform my hon. Friend of the result. As regards the adequacy of the life-saving equipment, I would refer him to the reply of 29th January.