§ 15. Sir Robert Rankinasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is aware that the committee recently appointed to consider the transport facilities, accommodation and layout of the Merseyside port area and to submit proposals relating to post-war development, does not include a Liverpool steamship owner or director of a Liverpool steamship company; and whether, in view of this anomaly his Ministry will cause such representatives of the Liverpool shipping interests to be added to the committee?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport (Mr. Noel-Baker)The chairman and members of the Merseyside Dock Access Committee were chosen for their expert knowledge of the problems of road and rail access to the docks. In view of the Committee's terms of reference, my Noble Friend did not think it necessary to include a representative of the shipping industry. To include a spokesman of each of the interests concerned with the future welfare of the port would mean a large increase in the size of the committee. My Noble Friend is convinced that the work to be done can be most effectively accomplished by a small expert body of the kind which he has appointed.