§ Mr. M'GHEEasked the Secretary to the Treasury the estimated amount of insurance contributions payable each year by shipowners in respect of masters, seamen, and apprentices not domiciled in the United Kingdom; and the actual amount of such contributions received by the Insurance Commissioners since the National Insurance Act came into force?
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§ Mr. MASTERMANThe estimated amount of contributions payable annually by shipowners in respect of masters, seamen, and apprentices not domiciled in the United Kingdom is £15,000. The amount received up to the 31st May is £5,239. There has been a substantial increase in the receipts for the last quarter, and it is anticipated that further returns will approximate the total received for the year ending the 14th July next to the amount of the estimate.
§ Mr. M'GHEEasked the Secretary to the Treasury how many stamped cards have been received by the Insurance Commissioners since the National Insurance Act came into operation in respect of seamen who have failed to join, deserted, or otherwise left their ships; how many such cards have been claimed; and what action it is proposed to take regarding the disposal of the unclaimed cards?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe number of cards forwarded to the Commission in respect of deserted foreign-going seamen is 5,300. Of these 250 have been claimed by and forwarded to societies. I am satisfied that some exceptonal measures must be taken to facilitate the claiming of these cards by the proper societies, and the Commissioners propose, as soon as the claims of all societies concerned have been received and examined, to circulate a list of deserters' cards among the societies which have mercantile marine members serving in foreign-going ships.