HC Deb 23 July 1908 vol 193 cc342-3
MR. W. BENN (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade what Amendment to the Port of London Bill has been proposed by the Government to give effect to the promise of the Chancellor of the Exchequer that labour should be represented on the new authority.

MR. CHURCHILL

A clause has been inserted in the Bill by the Joint Committee at the instance of the Board of Trade in the following terms:—"(6a) With a view to providing for the representation of labour on the Port Authority one of the members of the Port Authority appointed by the Board, of Trade shall be appointed by the Board after consultation with such organisations representative of labour as the Board think best qualified to advise them upon the matter.

MR. W. BENN

Will the right hon. Gentleman provide that one of the County Council nominees shall be a representative of labour?

Mr. CHURCHILL

said the matter had been very carefully considered already, and he did not think the Board of Trade could interfere.

MR. CARR-GOMM (Southwark, Rotherhithe)

asked whether, in view of the fact that the Port Authority would have very strong powers for dealing with labour through the labour exchanges, the right hon. Gentleman would reconsider the point.

MR. B. S. STRAUS (Tower Hamlets, Mile End)

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Chancellor of the Exchequer when introducing, the Bill spoke of two or three labour representatives, and will he be able to do something with regard to influencing the London County Council to nominate as one of their representatives a representative of labour?

MR. CHURCHILL

I do not think it is in the power of the Board of Trade to influence a body having the right to nominate representatives as to the decision to which they should come.

MR. CURRAN (Durham, Jarrow)

asked what methods the Board of Trade proposed to put into operation for consulting the organised workers in the Port of London.

MR. CHURCHILL

said the Board of Trade had a good many means of making inquiries as to who were really representatives of the opinion of labour, and they proposed to use all the means at their disposal.

MR. B. S. STRAUS

Does the right hon. o Gentleman remember the promise of the Chancellor of the Exchequer that labour should have two or three representatives?

MR. CHURCHILL

was understood to say that his attention had not been called to that promise, but he would certainly search for it. He would, however, point out that the Port Authority must be kept within reasonable limits.