§ Captain W. BENNasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller what steps he proposes to take in the matter of unemployment of shipmasters and officers of the Mercantile Marine, in view of the fact that their unemployment is due to enemy action; whether they are in the same relative position as regards unemployment donation as members of His Majesty's Forces; and whether the allowances made to them from the fund which has been set up are commensurate with their normal earnings?
Colonel WILSONThis matter has engaged the attention of the Ministry of Shipping since demobilisation began. The appointments to vessels under the control of the Ministry arc in the hands of the managers, and it is obviously impracticable, therefore, that the Ministry itself should make appointments, but everything possible has been done by bringing to the notice of the managers of newly acquired vessels a list of officers who are out of employment, and all companies have been invited by letter and at personal visits to select officers whom they consider suitable from that list, giving preference wherever possible to the senior masters who have performed good service during the War. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. With regard to the third part, the allowances made from the fund are not equal to the normal earnings of these1478W officers, but the amounts fixed by the Committee administering the fund, after consultation with the representatives of the officers concerned. I may add that the representatives of the officers are members of the Committee which administers this fund.