HC Deb 28 October 1884 vol 293 cc353-4
MR. MACIVER

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, If his attention has been called to the following paragraph, which appeared in The Glasgow Herald of last Saturday, viz.:— State of Trade—Glasgow. Shipbuilding still depressed.…. A significant feature of the depression is a movement on the part of the operatives to procure employment on the Continent. Shipbuilding in France is reported to be on the increase; and, whether Her Majesty's Government are in possession of any information which leads them to doubt the accuracy of this statement?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this Question, and I will do so to the best of my ability. I am not certain whether the paragraph to which the hon. Member calls attention refers to any movement of operatives from Glasgow. If so, I have no information whatever on the subject; but I have heard of a movement of operatives from the North-East Coast, where the depression in shipbuilding is very great indeed; and I have learned that some few men—I believe no considerable number — have found employment in the shipbuilding yards in France, chiefly in connection, I believe, with the repairs which are going on upon French vessels. I may, perhaps, point out to the hon. Member that the French Bounty Law provided that ships might be built abroad up to a certain time, but that they were to be repaired in French ports; and the effect of that has been to increase the pressure of the depression in this way—that, in the first place, it created an exceptional demand for ships in this country, and led to the employment of a large number of persons who might not otherwise have been employed. When the artificial demand ceased, the depression, of course, was increased proportionately, and at the same time there has been an artificial demand for labour created in France by the repairs which have become necessary on these ships.

MR. MACIVER

Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will allow me to thank him for his reply, but, at the same time, to point out that he has not answered my Question, which is, whether it is or is not true that shipbuilding in France is reported to be on the increase?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

I have no positive information—no late information—with regard to the question of shipbuilding in France; but, as far as I know, there is no considerable increase.