§ Sir E. GRAHAM-LITTLEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that load-lines are assigned to ships by his Department under powers conferred by the Merchant Shipping (Safety and Load Lines Conventions) Act, 1932, and that under the same powers his Department have also appointed Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the British Corporation Register of Shipping and Aircraft, and the British Committee of the Bureau Veritas to assign load-lines to ships on their behalf; whether the load-lines assigned by the Department itself and the other bodies mentioned are computed under the Statutory Rules and Orders made by his Department under the said Act; and whether his Department takes the necessary steps to ensure that the load-line rules are impartially applied by all the bodies authorised to assign load-lines?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANYes, Sir.