Mr. WEST RUSSELLasked the President of the Board of Trade the estimated percentage of British shipping now laid up and idle as compared with the corresponding dates in 1930 and 1929?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMAccording to the quarterly returns of laid-up tonnage issued by the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom, the net tonnage of British shipping reported as laid up in ports of Great Britain and Ireland on 1st January, 1931, was 1,570,115 tons, the corresponding figure for 1st January, 1930, being 359,822 tons, and for 1st January, 1929, 311,657 tons. These totals represent 12.6 per cent., 2.9 per cent. and 221W 2.5 per cent. respectively of the total net tonnage of vessels registered at the respective dates under Part I of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, at ports of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. The figures for 1st January, 1929, do not include vessels laid up at other than the principal ports, estimated by the Chamber of Shipping at not more than 4,000 tons net.