HC Deb 29 November 1938 vol 342 cc227-8
24. Mr. Garro Jones

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the three shipbuilding firms situated in Aberdeen are included in the list of contractors for small vessels kept by the Trinity House Commissioners and all other branches or departments under the supervision of the Board concerned with the ordering of such vessels?

Mr. Stanley

The Trinity House and the other general lighthouse authorities concerned do not use a list of the kind implied in the question. They know the possible contractors, including the three Aberdeen firms referred to, and the work they do; and when vessels are to be built, the firms asked to tender are selected from those most capable of doing the work. This applies to all other branches or departments under the supervision of the Board of Trade which might be concerned with the ordering of ships.

25. Mr. Garro Jones

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is required to approve each individual contract for ships ordered by the Trinity House Commissioners; how many such contracts he has approved in each of the last three years; and from how many firms were tenders invited for the construction of each of the last three ships ordered by them?

Mr. Stanley

The answer to the first part of the question is that the sanction of the Board of Trade is required to each contract proposed to be placed by the Trinity House for new ship construction. In 1936, two contracts were approved, covering four vessels, and in 1937, one contract was approved, covering three vessels. For the three ships ordered in 1937, three firms were invited to tender; they were the three which quoted the lowest prices when tenders were invited in 1936 by public advertisement for the building of three similar vessels. During the present year, six firms have been invited to tender for the construction of two new light vessels for Trinity House, but no recommendation as to the acceptance of any tender has yet been received by the Board of Trade.

Mr. Garro Jones

Will the right hon. Gentleman be prepared to publish the names of the firms which have been asked to tender in any given case, if requested to do so by a question on the Order Paper?

Mr. Stanley

Perhaps the hon. Member will put that question down.

26. Sir I. Albery

asked the President of the Board of Trade what tonnage and number of ships have been launched in Holland during the last 12 months for British ownership?

Mr. Stanley

Information as to launchings in Holland for British owners is not available, but 65 new vessels of 24,686 tons gross, built in Holland, were added to the United Kingdom register during the 12 months ended October, 1938.

Mr. Kirkwood

Will the President of the Board of Trade explain how it is that shipowners are going to Holland to have these ships built, when the yards all over Britain are gasping for the work?

Mr. Stanley

I have endeavoured to get information but none is available regarding the circumstances in which these orders were placed; but the hon. Member will notice that they are all for vessels of very small size, in which the Dutch yards specialise. As he knows, I am discussing the whole problem with the shipping and shipbuilding industries.

Mr. Kirkwood

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is no country in the world that specialises in this particular type of vessel, like Britain, and that there must be something wrong when orders are going abroad? We specialise in these ships in the North of Scotland, notably Aberdeen. I hope the President of the Board of Trade will go into the matter.