§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Minister of Labour how many officers, approximately, of the Mercantile Marine are now out of employment; and how many qualified skippers and second hands of fishing trawlers are out of employment?
Colonel WILSONI have been asked to reply. There are no records which will enable reliable figures to be furnished as to the numbers of officers of the Mercantile Marine who are now out of employment and are seeking employment afloat. Since the Armistice the Ministry of Shipping has kept a register of officers applying to them for employment afloat and the numbers of the officers so recorded are: R.N.R. officers, 371; R.N.R. engineers, 299; Mercantile Marine deck officers, 190; engineer officers, 149—total officers, 461; engineers, 438. It is impossible to say how many of these officers mentioned above have now found employment, as they do not always notify this Ministry when they go afloat again.