§ 38. Mr. HOUSTONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller whether the telegram sent out from the Ministry of Shipping on or about 12th January and following days, stating that the shipping Controller wished to receive concrete suggestions for economising tonnage, was drafted and ordered to be dispatched by the Shipping Controller personally or by some member of his staff; whether the Shipping Controller is aware that most of the uneconomical and wasteful use of shipping originates in the various Departments of the Ministry of Shipping by reason of unintelligent selection, direction, and use of ships unsuitable for the employment allocated to them, by the withdrawal or attempted withdrawal of ships loaded or partly loaded in home and foreign ports on previous instructions given to owners to load them, resulting in delays, waste of time am money, by the use of three-decked ships of big measurement and small deadweight carrying capacity for the carriage of coal and ore and at times when vessels more suitable for these purposes are available, and by the refusal of his various directors and other members of his staff to accept the advice of steamship owners; and whether he will, as a first step towards the economical use of shipping, read the many letters in his possession from steamship owners giving concrete suggestions for economising tonnage?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYThe telegram to which the hon. Member refers was issued by the Shipping Controller. The selection of ships for particular purposes is a matter on which expert guidance is always obtained, but it is, of course, often inevitable owing to the sudden exigencies of war to make arrangements which would not be made in time of peace. The suggestion in the question that there is uneconomical use of tonnage owing to the refusal of members of the staff to accept the advice of shipowners, is entirely without foundation. The Ministry of Shipping has been fortunate in having at its disposal in the fullest measure the advice and co-operation of prominent shipowners both in and out of the Department. With regard to the last part of the question, no suggestion made to the Shipping Controller from any quarter, whether orally or by letter, has been neglected by him, and I venture to express the hope that the 1427 hon. Member will see his way to join with his brother shipowners in giving the Ministry his cordial co-operation.
§ Mr. HOUSTONIs the hon. Gentleman aware that his statement that this question is without foundation is entirely incorrect, and that for one practical shipowner in the Ministry there are a score outside it?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYInside the Ministry we have the co-operation of some of the leading shipowners of the United Kingdom. With regard to shipowners outside, I am glad to say that, with perhaps one exception, there is no prominent shipowner who has not been good enough to come to us.
§ Mr. HOUSTONIs it because other prominent shipowners outside have not courage to criticise the Ministry?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYI can only say that they do come to us. We invite them to come to us. They sit at the conference table with us. They criticise what we are doing, and we always listen most respectfully to them.
§ Mr. HOUSTONDoes the hon. Gentleman wish to give instances?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must not enter into a personal debate.