Mr. Temple Morrisasked the Minister of Shipping whether he is aware that certain agents, in booking passages for people wishing to travel abroad to places for which there is little accommodation, ask for the sum of £10 for a booking fee in certain cases; and, as in view of the long waiting list such a fee is likely to amount to many hundreds of pounds, and that agents would therefore have the benefit of this money probably for many months in view of the shortage of passenger berths, whether he will reconsider this arrangement in view of the fact that an exit permit is only obtainable on production of a statement that a passage has been applied for?
§ Mr. CrossOne or two cases have been reported where shipping agents have asked for deposits from persons seeking passages overseas. The matter appears 313W to be primarily one for the shipping companies to take up with their agents. Inquiries about the cases already reported are being made through the companies and I am also sending them for their information a copy of my hon. and learned Friend's Question.