§ Mr. Bramallasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that on the troopship s.s. "Orbita," which sailed on 2nd April from Liverpool to South Africa carrying service families, there was no milk provided throughout the voyage and no suitable food for young children; that two adults and six children paying first-class fares were crowded into one cabin; and what action he proposes to take to improve conditions in the future.
§ Mr. BarnesThere are standing instructions that, on account of the service families travelling in transports, adequate supplies of infant foods are to be available on board. The store lists for this voyage of "Orbita" confirm that there were adequate supplies of milk and baby food for the children carried. No complaints of the food were made on board. Most of the accommodation on the "Orbita" consists of cabins or dormitories containing eight or more berths. I am bound to make full use of all this accommodation in view of the great demand for passages. No first-class fares are charged on this vessel; for accommodation graded in the highest class the charge is substantially below first-class commercial fare. Proper provision for service families is being made in the planning of the postwar trooping fleet; but meanwhile we have to make do with the ships available.