Mr. Creech Jonesasked the President of the Board of Trade how many Maltese are now employed in the British shipping industry; how this compares with the number employed a year ago; and how many coloured seamen are unemployed in Britain and have been unemployed for 12 months or more?
§ Mr. CrossI regret that the information for which the hon. Member asks is not available. The latest date for which information concerning nationality of seamen has been ascertained is 15th June, 1936. On that date 1,079 Maltese seamen were employed on sea trading vessels registered at ports in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.