§ Mr. Kirbyasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any statement to make on the subject of foreign competition in the British coasting trade; whether he is aware that the Carriers Shipping Company had recently to lay up two steamers because of such competition; and how many more such 971W steamers in the United Kingdom have been laid up for the same reason in the last 12 months?
§ Mr. CrossThe question of foreign competition in the coasting trade was dealt with in the reports submitted to me by the Joint Shipping Policy Committee of the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom and Liverpool Steam Ship Owners' Association, and was taken into consideration by the Government in reaching the decisions announced in my right hon. Friend's statement on shipping policy on 28th March.
United Kingdom Vessels of 100 tons gross and over, classified as coasting liners and coasting tramps respectively, laid up in ports of Great Britain and Ireland at various dates according to returns compiled by the Chamber of Shipping. Date. Liners. Tramps. Number. Gross Tons. Number. Gross Tons. 1st January, 1938 … … 32 41,374 8 3,147 1st April, 1938 … … 31 40,229 26 16,899 1st July, 1938 … … 25 27,852 34 21,847 1st October, 1938 … … 40 56,163 30 17,045 1st January, 1939 … … 48 61,398 27 14,426 1st April, 1939 … … 36 46,888 22 12,160