63. Lieut.-Colonel MOOREasked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the scheme under consideration by the port authority at Ardrossan for improvements to present facilities and their extension; and whether, seeing that the estimated cost of the total is about £90,000, the Government proposes, in view of the measures for relief of unemployment, to give any assistance towards carrying out the work?
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr. Herbert Morrison)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. No application in regard to the particular scheme to which the hon. Member appears to refer has yet been made so far as I am aware. It would be open to the Ardrossan Harbour Company to apply for assistance under Part I of the Development (Loan Guarantees and Grants) Act, 1929, and any such application would receive the careful consideration of the Committee, though I cannot anticipate their, decision.
§ Major COLVILLEIs the Minister not aware that the terms offered to port authorities to carry out such schemes are not sufficiently attractive to encourage them to proceed with these schemes; and, in view of the fact that there are many such schemes waiting, will he consider whether rather better terms could be offered, in order to get men to work on such schemes?
§ Mr. MORRISONFor the purpose of this Act the Government have appointed an Advisory Committee, and the principal responsibility as to the terms offered must rest upon that Committee. There are limits to the extent to which Ministers can go in interfering with the discretion of such a Committee.