§ 21. Mr. Awberyasked the Minister of Transport what steps are being taken to direct ships to the ports where unemployment is acute as an alternative to transferring the men from their home ports to those that are congested and require transferees.
§ Mr. BarnesNo conditions of congestion have recently arisen which would justify my ordering diversion of ships from their normal ports of discharge to which they are "billed." To meet an occasional shortage of labour at any particular port it may well be best to transfer temporarily dock labour from another port where there may at the time be a surplus.
§ Mr. AwberyIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a large number of men are now transferred 200 miles from their home port for discharging purposes on ships, and that it should be much easier to transfer them to the men's home port where they could discharge them just as well?
§ Mr. BarnesI would suggest that the hon. Member looks carefully at the answer I have just given him.
§ Mr. HoyIs it not a fact that these conditions prevail all over the country? Have I not drawn the attention of the right hon. Gentleman to the position on the Firth of Forth, and does he propose to take any action with a view to having better distribution of these ships?
§ Mr. BarnesYes, Sir. I am aware, as my hon. Friend knows, that adjustments, are now taking place in many ports owing to their reversal to peacetime conditions, and these observations will be carefully examined.