§ Mr. B. SMITHasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware 1039W that the 1923 edition of Instructions as to the Survey of Crew Spaces, in regard to the lighting of crew spaces in merchant ships, modifies the standards of lighting previously required in so far that the Regulations prior to 1923 required a certain standard of lighting when one-third of the lighting was closed while the 1923 Instructions require the same standard without the closing of one-third of the lighting, thus reducing the lighting under the present Instructions to only two-thirds of the old; and whether he will state the grounds for this alteration?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER:The modification in the crew space instructions to which the hon. Member refers was one recommended by the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee, which contains representatives of all the interests concerned. In modern ships with large crews it is often impossible or very difficult to give full natural light in every part of the quarters, while electric light is always available.