§ LORD HANKEYasked Her Majesty's Government how many members of the Council, Executive Group and Administration of the Suez Canal Users' Association (S.C.U.A.) have had personal and local experience of the Suez Canal and its problems, for example, in higher direction, administration, finance, dues and technical aspects including, as regards the latter, such matters as control of shipping in the canal, its approaches and ports; 1094WA navigation, pilotage, convoys and communications; day-to-day engineering problems such as maintenance of the banks, depths, dredging, buoys, lights, mooring facilities on shore and afloat; repair facilities for floating and other material, salvage and water supplies; and long-range plans for future development; and further how many shipowners with personal experience of running their ships through the canal are included in the organisation of S.C.U.A.
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF GOSFORD)The Suez Canal Users' Association is an Association of Governments including the major user countries of the Canal. The meetings of the Council and of the Executive Group are meetings of the representatives of Governments. All members have at their disposal the resources of their technical departments and shipping industries. In recent discussions about practical matters connected with the reopening of the Canal the Council has had the benefit of advice from experts drawn from the shipping industries of member countries. The Association has also had close relations through its Administrator and experts with international shipping organisations and other international bodies concerned. The Administrator's staff includes an adviser from the shipping industry. The Association is fully supplied with technical information on these matters.
House adjourned at three minutes before seven o'clock.