§ Sir R. Taskerasked the President of the Board of Trade whether any supervision is exercised to prevent ships built under the Government scrap-and-build scheme competing with private owners trading between British ports?
Mr. Stanley:I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the condition in Section 3 (2) of the British Shipping (Assistance) Act, 1935, that vessels in respect of which assistance is given under Part II of the Act may not be employed mainly in voyages between ports within the United Kingdom, Eire, Isle of Man and Channel Islands, or in maintaining regu- 244W lar services between such ports and ports in the Continent of Europe between the River Elbe and Brest inclusive. This condition was incorporated in the Agreements concluded between the Board of Trade and owners to whom advances were made under the Scrap and Build scheme. I have no information which would suggest that the condition is not being fulfilled.