§ Mr. Beechmanasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that the absence of a breakwater in St. Ives Bay makes it impossible to launch an adequate lifeboat, endangers the lives of fishermen, and deprives a long and important coast line of a harbour of refuge, he will immediately set up a committee, representative of all the Government Departments concerned, to consider the possibility of so improving the harbourage facilities at St. Ives that an adequate lifeboat could be utilised and fishermen and shipping generally be protected, particularly in view of the greater use likely to be made of our western ports in war time?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithI have read with much concern of the disaster to the St. Ives lifeboat and should like to express my deep sympathy with the relatives of the gallant men who have lost their lives. While I do not think that it is necessary for a special committee to be set up to398W consider the possibility of improving the harbour, I can assure my hon. Friend that this question is already under examination and that the Departments concerned will certainly consult together on the various aspects of the question to which he has called attention.