HC Deb 21 June 1948 vol 452 cc953-6
Mr. Eden

(by Private Notice) asked the Minister of Labour whether he has any statement to make on the strike at the London Docks.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. Ness Edwards)

As my right hon. Friend is at the International Labour Conference, I have been asked to reply. Since my right hon. Friend's statement of Thursday last, the strike has spread and now involves nearly 19,000 workers out of the total labour force of 27,000. I would ask to be excused from making any detailed statement today as a meeting has been called by the trade union for tomorrow morning in a further endeavour to secure an immediate resumption of work. I would not wish to say anything that might hamper the union in their efforts. I must, however, emphasise that this stoppage, if continued, will endanger the maintenance of essential food supplies and involve the public in quite unnecessary hardship. Moreover, by delaying the turn-round of shipping, this stoppage is already seriously impeding our export drive. The Government trust, therefore, that the men will respond to the advice of their accredited trade union leaders and return to work forthwith.

Mr. Eden

Can the right hon. Gentle man tell us what is the position about the food supplies in these ships? Presumably there are perishable food supplies in them. Are the Government satisfied that this further delay will not result in the loss of a large part of these food supplies? We would like to be assured on that point for a start.

Mr. Ness Edwards

I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman and the House will agree that this is a matter which must be uppermost in our minds. We are watching the matter very carefully—[An HON. MEMBER: "Why not do something?"]—and what we do must be for the purpose of getting the maximum food supply for our people.

Mr. Eden

I think that the question I asked the right hon. Gentleman was an eminently reasonable one. I really must ask whether the Government are satisfied that this further delay is not prejudicing these food supplies. I want an assurance that, by agreeing to this extension, the Government are satisfied that they will not lose any food in the ships.

Mr. Ness Edwards

We have considered this matter in great detail this morning and we are satisfied that the step we are taking today is the correct step in the circumstances. We are assured that by this delay we are not endangering the rations of our people.

Mr. Eden

I am sorry to press the right hon. Gentleman, but can he not answer simply? What I am concerned with is not the long-term rationing position, but the position of the perishable goods which there must be in these ships. Are the Government convinced that there is no danger of these perishable goods being lost on account of this further delay? Surely the right hon. Gentleman can answer "Yes" or "No"?

Mr. Ness Edwards

Whatever decision is forced upon us tomorrow, we are satisfied that we can afford this delay of one day in dealing with the situation.

Sir W. Smithers

Answer the question.

Mr. Edwards

I have to answer this question having regard hot only to what is said in this House but to the way in which the position must be handled outside. I do not want to say anything that can be translated into a threat, but I wish to assure the House that the Government will take all the steps that are necessary to see that unnecessary hardship is not caused to the people.

Mr. Henry Strauss

Can the right hon. Gentleman confirm the fact that this strike is being led by shop stewards belonging to the union to which he referred?

Mr. Ness Edwards

I would rather not make a statement about that today. The position is delicate enough. I hope that between now and tomorrow morning wiser counsels will prevail and we shall have a report to make.

Mr. Molson

With regard to the food supplies in these ships, when the right hon. Gentleman says that the Government can afford the delay, are we to understand that no food will become uneatable as a result of this delay?

Mr. Ness Edwards

I cannot make that promise because we cannot tell what is the condition of the food until the hatches are opened. The anticipation is that the matter will be all right until tomorrow. That is the best advice we have had, and I can only give that advice to the House.

Mr. Eden

We were assured last Thursday, if I remember aright, that there was no anxiety that the food would perish in the interval as a result of no further discussion and no further action taking place over the week-end. I want to be assured that the same holds good now and that we shall not have a statement made subsequently by the Government that we have lost a large quantity of foodstuffs.

Mr. Ness Edwards

I can give an assurance that large quantities of foodstuffs will not be wasted.

Mr. Eden

We shall wish to put a further Question on this matter tomorrow.

Mr. Platts-Mills

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware, as everyone on this side of the House knows to be the case, that these men do not go on strike unless there is some very serious issue to provoke them? If the Government are so anxious to see that this strike is stopped, will they use their influence to do the one thing which the strikers are demanding, namely, to bring about the withdrawal of the punishment which these men say is vindictive and penal?

Mr. Gammans

The right hon. Gentleman talks about the delicacy of the situation. What is the delicacy which prevents the Government from condemning a strike which is contrary to the agreement legally entered into, and which if persisted in, will destroy the whole of the trade union organisation in this country?

Mr. Ness Edwards

I have not been asked to express any opinion on the merits of the matter, but I say quite frankly that these men ought not to be on strike in these circumstances.

Mr. Beverley Baxter

In connection with the statement that the union are to meet tomorrow morning, might I ask why they are not meeting this afternoon or at midnight tonight? What is the meaning of this leisurely pace with which they are dealing with this grave crisis?

Mr. Ness Edwards

The men who are handling this situation have had a lifetime's experience of handling industrial disputes, and we must be guided by their wisdom in these matters.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

Would it be a proper interpretation of the right hon. Gentleman's statement to say that if this strike is not over by tomorrow, a large-scale loss of food will follow?

Mr. Ness Edwards

I did not imply anything of the kind. I shall be in a position tomorrow, I hope, to make a definite statement to the House on the steps which the Government deem it necessary to take.

Vice-Admiral Taylor

Are the House and the country to understand that the Government are taking no action at all to safeguard the food and to prevent it from going bad?

Mr. Ness Edwards

No, Sir.

Sir W. Smithers

Can the right hon. Gentleman say to what extent this strike is due to Communist leaders and will he, as a first step—he must know who they are—arrest the Communist leaders?