110. Mr. Shawcrossasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the large numbers of travelling public in North America unable to visit Europe because of the present lack of shipping accommodation and the high cost thereof, he will provide facilities for, and encourage the building of, one or more further liners of the "Queen Elizabeth" class, fitted to accommodate the largest possible number of passengers at cheap rates.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussI am afraid that this suggestion would do nothing to relieve the immediate difficulties to which my hon. Friend refers, for the building of such ships would take some years. The present shortage of accommodation on the North Atlantic route is due to temporary causes, and is being overcome by the entry into service of ships now reconditioning and by the building of new ships by the companies concerned.