HC Deb 22 June 1916 vol 83 cc295-6
26. Sir JOHN LONSDALE

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has received a memorial signed by nearly 250 leading traders in Ulster and Lancashire calling attention to the loss occasioned by the suspension of the steamship services between Belfast and Heysham and Belfast and Fleetwood, and pointing out that for fourteen weeks the trade of Ulster with England has been practically held up, and that in consequence quantities of perishable goods have been damaged at a time when the supply of agricultural products is of extreme importance to the public; if either party to the dispute which is responsible for this dislocation of traffic is willing to submit to arbitration by the industrial section of the Board of Trade; and if he will bring pressure to bear upon the other parties so that a settlement may be arrived at?

34. Mr. MacCAW

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the lines of steamers trading between Belfast and Heysham and Belfast and Fleetwood have vessels laid up and unemployed; and whether he will represent to the owners of these steamers the necessity of utilising them to their fullest extent so as to relieve the present congestion of traffic between Ireland and England?

Mr. PRETYMAN

I have received the memorial referred to. I understand that in both the Belfast and Heysham and the Belfast and Fleetwood services a boat now runs each way every alternate night. I am assured by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company that, so far as the Belfast and Fleetwood route is concerned, all the traffic that has been offered is being carried, and none is being refused on account of absence of steamer room. I cannot say whether the position is the same on the other route, but I am making inquiry.

Sir J. LONSDALE

Does the right hon. Gentleman say that the steamers between Fleetwood and Belfast, and between Belfast, Liverpool and Heysham, are running?

Mr. PRETYMAN

Yes; they each run daily one way—that is to say, they take one day to go and one to return, so that they sail on each alternate day.

Mr. MacCAW

Are there any steamers laid up?

Mr. PRETYMAN

I think some may be out of work.