Sir C. KINLOGH-COOKEasked the President of the Board of Trade if figures are kept showing the number of deaths in the mercantile marine from year to year, separating officers and men and giving the number of men and officers employed out of which number the deaths take place; and, if not, will he consider the advisability of having these statistics recorded?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERParticulars of the number of deaths among members of the crews of merchant ships registered in this country and of the numbers employed on certain selected days in such ships are published annually by the Board of Trade. I am sending my hon. Friend copies of the Returns for 1927. Separate figures are given for the various ratings. The possibility of obtaining more complete information, with a view to computing comparative mortality figures for all seamen, whether employed or not, is being considered by the Joint Advisory Committee on the health of the mercantile marine.