§ Major ARCHER-SHEEasked the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government have been approached by the German Government as to the desirability of holding an international conference upon the question of the security of human life at sea; and whether, if such pourparlers have taken place, His Majesty's Government intend to summon a conference at which the leading shipping companies, the Imperial Merchant Service Guild, and the Seamen's Unions may be represented, with a view to drawing up proposed recommendations for the international conference?
§ The PRIME MINISTERHis Majesty's Government have received a communication from the German Government proposing that international negotiations shall take place with a view to an agreement on the subject referred to in the928W question. A sympathetic reply has been returned to the German communication. I am not at present in a position to state the precise steps which will be taken to obtain the views of the interests affected, with regard to any of the matters which may come under discussion in the proposed negotiations.