(1) Where any expenses are incurred by a consular officer on behalf of the Government under section 216 or are incurred by the government of a foreign country and are repaid to such foreign country by the Government, the Minister may pay to the consular officer or foreign government the amount of the expenses out of any moneys available for the purpose or out of any money appropriated for that purpose by Parliament.
(2) All money paid by the Minister under subsection (1) together with the wages, if any, due to a distressed seaman, is a charge upon the ship to which the seaman belonged, and is a debt due to the Government—
(a) from the owner, master or agent of the ship at the time of the loss;
(b) where the ship has been transferred, either from the owner or from the person who was the owner of the ship at the time of the transfer; and
(c) where the ship is a foreign ship, also from the person who engaged the seaman for service in the ship.
(3) A debt under this section, in addition to any fines and consular fees incurred, may be recovered by the Minister on behalf of the Government by ordinary process of law in the manner in which wages are recoverable by the seaman.
(4) In any proceedings for recovery of a debt under this section, the production of an official account of the expenses incurred in accordance with this Act, and proof of payment of the expenses by or on behalf of the Government is prima facie proof that the expenses were incurred or repaid under this Act by or on behalf of that Government.