§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what is the incidence rate per 100,000 of population of risk of death to seafarers on British ships arising out of disease or accident and natural causes for the years 1978, 1979 and 1980;
(2) what is the total number of British and foreign seafarers, respectively, on vessels registered in the United Kingdom for the years 1978, 1979 and 1980;
(3) how many deaths occurred on board British vessels for the years 1978, 1979 and 1980 respectively; and what proportion was due to natural disease and what proportion to accidental causes.
§ Mr. EyreThe number of deaths among crew members on board merchant ships registered in the United Kingdom were:
1978 1979 Deaths from casualties to vessels Founderings — 12 Strandings — — Collisions 5 — Missing vessels — — Explosions and fires 3 4 Other casualties — 3 Deaths from causes other than casualties to vessels Accidents on board 63 28 Homicide 2 — Suicide 4 5 Missing at sea 13 8 Disease 74 55 Total 164 115 It is believed that the approximate numbers available for employment on United Kingdom registered merchant ships were:
78W
1978 1979 British 71,000 68,000 Foreign 17,000 14,000 Total 88,000 82,000 On the basis of the estimated number of seafarers, deaths on board per 100,000 available for employment was of the order of 186 and 140 for 1978 and 1979 respectively.
Information for 1980 is not yet available.