§ 17. Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will pay an official visit to Newport.
§ Mr. RipponI have at present no plans to do so but my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State hopes shortly to visit the ports of South Wales.
§ Mr. HughesDoes the right hon. and learned Gentleman appreciate that I wrote to the Minister for Transport Industries five weeks ago about the serious situation developing among the ports of the Severn Estuary? Does he further appreciate that it was that Minister who made the decision to authorise the Port of Bristol expansion that is causing all these difficulties? Will he still further appreciate that his promises of no poaching of trade have been valueless? Will he therefore come to Newport and other South Wales ports to explain the situation?
§ Mr. RipponI have read the report of the Adjournment debate which took place on 28th November. It showed that Labour and Conservative Members from the Bristol Channel area had comments to make on the hon. Gentleman's observations. I have been able to see how successful the ports in South Wales—including Newport and Port Talbot—are in dealing with the competition which they have inevitably to face. It is much more encouraging than the hon. Gentleman would lead the House and the country to believe.