§ Major KINDERSLEYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that some ocean-going vessels sailing from ports in Great Britain do not take steps to instruct passengers in life-saving measures by assembling them at boat or muster stations and showing them how to put on lifebelts, he will take immediate steps, by legislation or otherwise, to ensure that such precautions are always taken?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThis question was discussed recently with representatives of the lines, and a new edition of the muster regulations is being issued which provides that practice musters of passengers should be held at an early period of each voyage, if this is at all practicable. I am not yet satisfied that it is necessary to ask for power to make musters of passengers compulsory, but the question is one of those which will probably be discussed at the forthcoming International Conference on Safety of Life at Sea. It is possible that some proposal for a definite uniform 235W rule on this subject may be made by that Conference.