HC Deb 28 June 1966 vol 730 cc261-2W
Earl of Dalkeith

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many seamen have been recruited to the Merchant Navy during each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Mason

The information is contained in the following table:

MERCHANT NAVY COMPLEMENT ENGAGED
Year New Entrants Re-Year entrants* Total
1956 23,106 13,012 36,118
1957 21,356 11,483 32,839
1958 15,727 9,085 24,812
1959 16,349 9,960 26,309
1960 21,470 12,672 34,142
1961 26,183 13,592 39,775
1962 17,742 11,040 28,782
1963 14,715 11,571 26,266
1964 17,042 11,367 28,409
1965 17,977 11,243 29,220

NOTE: *Being seamen who having served in the Merchant Navy, left the industry and have now been re-employed at sea.

Earl of Dalkeith

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many seamen have left the Merchant Navy during each of the last 10 years on account of reaching retirement age; (2) how many seamen have left the Merchant Navy during each of the last 10 years to take up other occupations; (3) what estimate he makes of the number of seamen who have left the Merchant Navy during each of the last 10 years in order to serve with foreign shipping fleets.

Mr. Mason

The numbers of men leaving the Merchant Navy are shown in the following table. Separate figures are not available for the numbers leaving on reaching retirement age, to take up other occupations or to serve in foreign flag ships.

MERCHANT NAVY COMPLEMENT DISCHARGE
Year Own Request Lapsed* Total
1956 19,712 15,206 34,918
1957 18,369 14,419 32,788
1958 14,709 18,009 32,718
1959 12,470 15,875 28,345
1960 14,022 15,636 29,658
1961 15,607 22,010 37,617
1962 16,188 24,310 40,498
1963 17,229 17,669 34,898
1964 16,075 14,500 30,575
1965 15,150 17,298 32,448

NOTE: *These figures refer to seamen who have not been employed in the industry during the preceding 12 months and are assumed to have left the sea.

Forward to