§ Mr. Eden(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether he has any further statement to make about the strike at the London Docks.
§ The Prime MinisterThe number of those on strike in the London Docks this morning is 19,040; 5,877 dockers are at work. The general build up of the Service 1840 personnel is proceeding according to plan, and approximately 1,000 members of the Services are now engaged in the clearance of food cargoes.
Members of the Services have cleared all the perishable foodstuffs, and from this morning the meat ships now lying in the port are being discharged in order to maintain the largest possible proportion of car-case meat in this week and next week's ration. The full ration of 1s. worth of meat will be made up with canned corned meat in each case. Bacon and butter are also being discharged.
It will be necessary to move other food cargoes lying in the ports in order to avoid a breakdown in the distribution of other foodstuffs.
The stoppage extended this morning to the docks at Liverpool and Birkenhead, where out of a total labour force of 16,000 it is reported that upwards of 4,000 dockers are on strike.
In these circumstances His Majesty, who is in Scotland on a Royal Tour, has been advised to issue a Proclamation under the Emergency Powers Act, 1920, declaring that a state of emergency exists, and a Privy Council will be held for the purpose later today. Thereafter Orders in Council will be made giving powers to the Government to do all that is necessary both by deploying Service personnel wherever required for the maintenance of essential food supplies, and by the requisition of equipment for the maintenance of the life of the community. These regulations, as the House knows, are subject to an Affirmative Resolution within seven days. Full use will be made of Service personnel in order to maintain the distribution of the food of the people and the economic life of the community.
The irresponsible action of a section of the workers is endangering the regular supply of food to the people and is inflicting grave injuries on the nation. I propose to make a broadcast speech at 9 o'clock this evening, so that the nation may understand fully what is at stake.
§ Mr. EdenThe statement which the Prime Minister has made is, of course, one of the greatest gravity. It is not for us to complain of that because, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, on several occasions last week we underlined what we thought was the growing gravity of 1841 the situation and we thought the Government were taking an over-optimistic view. I must ask the Prime Minister, however, what is the position about these Orders? As I understand it, under the Emergency Powers Act, 1920, His Majesty first issues a Royal Proclamation, which has been arranged for, and the next stage is that Orders are made by the Government. As I understand it, those Orders become effective from the moment that they are made. It therefore becomes of the utmost urgency that the House should be in a position to debate these Orders, and I would ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will tell us when it is proposed that these Orders shall be available to the House and, therefore, when we shall be able to debate them. I should have thought myself that in view of the great gravity of this, it would be desirable that the Orders made should be available today so the House could debate them tomorrow.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Orders will be made—the Regulations—as soon as possible and will be laid as soon as possible. Thereafter, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, they are subject to Affirmative Resolution and, therefore, they can be debated. Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will consult with the Leader of the House as to the day which is most convenient for a Debate.
§ Mr. EdenI am going to press this point on the Prime Minister. I am sure the House sees that these are very wide powers indeed and are very rarely used, and, therefore, I think, a special responsibility lies on the Government. However justified the particular regulations may be, I think that the House should see them at the first possible moment, because they come into force before we have a chance to debate them, and so I would press upon the right hon. Gentleman that, certainly within the next 48 hours—I would put this on record—we consider that the matter should be debated by this House.
§ The Prime MinisterCertainly, I will make them available as soon as possible and certainly within 48 hours. On the question when they should be debated, perhaps the right hon. Gentleman would discuss that with my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House. He will have to look at it to see whether an immediate Debate would be convenient or not—I 1842 am not opposing this matter; I realise it is one of very great gravity and the House has to keep these things under its hand.
§ Mr. Clement DaviesBecause this matter is one of such great gravity, I should have thought that every other Business ought to be postponed in order that this should be considered as the first Business of the House and, therefore, the moment that the Orders have been issued the matter ought to be raised straightaway in the House and the House should have the proper opportunity of debating them.
§ Mr. PiratinIn view of the figures which the Prime Minister has just given the House, is it not the case that all along he has been misinformed, in that during last week he told us that he had hopes that the dockers would return to work? In view of the fact that he has been so misinformed, would he not reconsider his attitude and meet the leaders of the Strike Committee in order to discuss with them the terms on which they will return to work? [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] Is the Prime Minister aware that this statement which he has made today, and which has rightly been described as reflecting a critical situation, will meet with the wide protest of the organised working-class of the country?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not think the hon. Member is an authority on the views of the organised workers of this country. The organised workers of this country are very well aware of the need for preserving the trade union structure and not allowing it to be destroyed, and the issue here is one in which there is an unofficial strike. The suggestion of the hon. Member is one which I certainly cannot accept for a moment.
§ Mr. Platts-MillsDoes the Prime Minister think that if he were to use his personal influence successfully to persuade the Docks Board, or whatever is the appropriate body, to cancel the penalty which, as is apparent from the Press, the men regard as a hateful vestige of what is obviously a grossly excessive penalty—does he think that then the men would go back to work?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is a hypothetical question. This is a matter which has been settled through the machinery 1843 set up and approved on both sides. It has been subject to appeal and a decision has been given and, therefore, this is a hypothetical question, because I do not propose to interfere in the way suggested by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. EdenMay I ask one more question? If I understand the statement right, these powers are to be used in order not only that food may be moved, but that the export trade of this country may be restored. Am I right in that?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.