§ 108. Mr. Piratinasked the Minister of Labour why the British Government representative at the last I.L.O. Maritime Session, Copenhagen, abstained from voting in favour of a convention on manning and hours; and if he has any statement to make on the instruction that he has given on this issue for the Seattle session in June.
§ Mr. Isaacs:In the absence of agreement between the two sides of the industry in the United Kingdom, the Government delegate abstained from voting on the preliminary text at the Preparatory Technical Conference at Copenhagen in order to enable the United Kingdom Government to give free and unfettered consideration to the opposing points of view prior 151W to the Seattle Conference. As regards the second part of the Question, I can only say that the United Kingdom Government will, having regard to the views of the two sides of the industry in the United Kingdom, support proposals which are likely to receive a wide measure of acceptance among countries represented at the conference.