HC Deb 12 March 1940 vol 358 cc1006-7
60. Mr. David Adams

asked the Minister of Shipping whether he will take steps to meet the urgent need for the appointment of a central advisory committee, with full control over administrative details, to meet daily in future, and also the establishment of a ship management committee to handle all tramp ships, thereby ending the prevailing confusion, mishandling of vessels and loss of valuable time?

The Minister of Shipping (Sir John Gilmour)

I am not aware of the existence of conditions such as those suggested in the last part of the Question. The management of ships under the control of the Ministry is in the hands of a division staffed by shipowners with long and intimate acquaintance with the problem of running ships, and I see no advantage in establishing committees to take over this work.

Mr. Adams

Is not the Minister aware that information of the implications contained in the Question was voluntarily supplied to me by one of the largest shipowners in the country?

Sir J. Gilmour

I shall be glad to discuss the matter with the hon. Gentleman.

62. Colonel Burton

asked the Minister of Shipping whether he has considered a resolution which has been sent to him from the Baltic Mercantile and Shipping Exchange to the effect that its members consider the action of the Ministry in displacing the chartering committees, formed by the chairman of the Baltic since the outbreak of war, by a Ministry of Shipping City Chartering Office, detrimental to the national interest; whether he is aware of the disappointment felt by the members of the Baltic at his failure to remedy the hardship and loss of livelihood imposed upon ship-brokers and chartering agents by the present methods of control and charter- ing of tonnage; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy same?

Sir J. Gilmour

Yes, Sir. I have considered the resolution, and I had previously received a deputation of ship-brokers. I am now examining the representations which have been made to me.

Mr. Shinwell

Why did the right hon. Gentleman not examine the representations made by these chartering people before he decided to set up a chartering office in the City?

Sir J. Gilmour

It is obvious that the new requisitions have altered the whole situation, and in order to make the system work, we had to set up this office. I am looking into the possibility of helping these interests.