HC Deb 18 June 1951 vol 489 cc24-7
34. Brigadier Rayner

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has received the report issued after the recent meeting of the North Atlantic Planning Board for Ocean Shipping and approved by the North Atlantic Council Deputies, in which is included an outline plan for the mobilisation of ocean-going shipping in a single pool in time of war or war-time emergency; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Barnes

Yes, Sir. As has already been announced, the North Atlantic Planning Board for Ocean Shipping has prepared a plan for determining the employment of ocean-going merchant shipping on a world-wide basis in time of war or war-time emergency. The main features of the plan are that each participating Government should take all the ocean-going ships of its own flag under its control and place them in a central pool for allocation to employment by an international organisation of a civilian character to be named the Defence Shipping Authority.

This Authority would be responsible for providing shipping to meet both the military and civil needs of the co-operating nations. Each Government would be responsible for the operation of the ships under its control and would ensure that they carried out the tasks allotted to them by the Defence Shipping Authority. The day-to-day work of the Authority would be carried out by two branches, one in London and one in Washington, on which all participating Governments would have the right to be represented. The London branch would deal primarily with the shipping and the demands for shipping services of the Eastern Hemisphere and similarly the Washington branch for the Western Hemisphere.

Brigadier Rayner

As it is rather difficult to assimilate at once all the facts we have been given, would the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that under no circumstances will British merchant shipping be handed over to an international authority? Will he remind himself of the very useful object lesson in 1945 when, Dutch shipping having been handed over to the Allied Fleet, the Dutch Government were not allowed to use it to send reinforcements to the Dutch East Indies? Will he also remember that this island, more than any other country, depends on its merchant ships for its survival? Could we have an assurance from the right hon. Gentleman on this point?

Mr. Barnes

As I listened to the observations of the hon. and gallant Gentleman, I quite understood how difficult it is for him to understand the statement that I have made. I suggest that he should read it carefully, and if there is any further information that he requires I shall be happy to supply him with it. This follows exactly the same principle as applied in the last war. While the British merchant fleet, with others, will go into this international and Allied pool for shipping purposes, nevertheless, I hope he will notice that one of the main branches is in London, with headquarters in the Ministry of Transport.

Commander Noble

The Minister said. that countries should put their shipping at the disposal of this Authority. How about the countries that have interests in the world outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation?

Mr. Barnes

Does the hon. and gallant Gentleman mean friendly nations?

Commander Noble

Commonwealth countries.

Mr. Barnes

Friendly and Commonwealth nations are being kept informed. They are being given all the necessary information and will be brought into this organisation later.

Mr. Eden

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that this raises very big issues indeed and that it does not necessarily follow that war-time arrangements are the best suited to the situation? We shall have to make comments on this and maybe have a debate at an early date.

Mr. Barnes

Certainly, but I might say that there are slight alterations in the scheme based on the experience of the last war. The point that I was emphasising was that the system of control, half of which is centred in this country, is in no way modified by this arrangement.

Mr. Eden

Is it not still true that our contribution will far exceed that of any other nation in this respect?

Mr. Barnes

Yes, except that of America. I suppose that is why the division is on this basis but, as I have pointed out. there is no departure from the division of responsibility which prevailed in the last war.