§ Mr. Benjamin Smithasked the Minister of Health (1) whether he will arrange for port medical officers of health to forward to the medical officer at the next port of call particulars of any nuisances or structural defects in vessels which are not remedied before the departure of the vessels from the port of detection;
(2) whether he will issue instructions to port medical officers of health that owners of vessels should be notified in cases in which nuisances or defects in crews' accommodation are not remedied after notice has been served on the master?
§ Mr. ElliotThere are both legal and practical objections to the issue of instructions of general application on these matters. It is preferable that the responsible port health authority should be free to take such action in each case, as the varying circumstances may indicate. The hon. Member will no doubt keep in mind that structural defects in vessels are a matter for the Board of Trade.