Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSON, Junr.asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total amount paid by Parliament to merchant seamen of all ranks in respect of war compensation; whether any remittances in respect of reparations to merchant seamen have been received from Germany; and whether, in the event of such payments being made, the amount so received will be distributed amongst such merchant seamen of all ranks?
Mr. ALEXANDERAs to the first part of the question, the total of the payments already made out of public funds to merchant seamen (including fishermen) and their dependants in respect of loss and damage during the War, together with the present value of pensions still running, is in the neighbourhood of £12,000,000. As to the remaining parts of the question, I would refer to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Aston (Sir E. Cecil) by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 26th June.