§ Mr. R. McNEILLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement in the form of a Return showing the total number of steamships of the mercantile marine that have been requisitioned for Government service since the outbreak of War; the tonnage of each ship; the ownership of each ship; in the case of vessels requisitioned for special or temporary service, the number of days in which each ship was engaged in Government service; and the proportion of tonnage which the requisitioned ships of each ownership bears to the total tonnage of ships of that ownership?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI can inform the hon. Member as to the total number of ships taken up since the beginning of the War and the number discharged, with total tonnage. I do not think that it would be in the public interest to give the further detailed information asked for at present. I may say, as regards the last part of the question, that the Committee of Shipowners appointed to advise the Director of Transports devote special attention to securing that the requisitions of the Department shall be equitably distributed.