§ Mr. P. Smithersasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the passenger-carrying capacity of ships regularly employed in the traffic between British West Indian ports and European ports in 1938, showing British and foreign capacity separately; and what are the latest available figures for the same.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsAs far as British ships are concerned I am informed that in 1938 there were 766 berths in vessels regularly employed, while some berths were available in passenger liners touching the West Indies as intermediate ports. At the present time the number of berths is understood to be 436, but a limited number of additional berths are available when occasional voyages are made by the Royal Mail Line cargo ships to and from Bermuda and Jamaica.
The Pacific Steam Navigation Company's liner "Reina del Pacifico" makes four voyages a year and generally calls at West Indian ports for passengers, but the number of berths available to West Indian passengers depends on South American requirements. It is regretted that information about the number of berths available in foreign ships regularly employed in the traffic between European 150W and British West Indian ports both in 1938 and at the present time is not readily available.
§ Mr. P. Smithersasked the Minister of Transport what proportion of passenger traffic between the United Kingdom and the West Indies is carried in British ships.
§ Mr. A. BarnesThe latest available information relates to the period April to September, 1950. In that period about 75 per cent. of the passenger traffic by sea between the United Kingdom and the British West Indies was carried in British ships.