Dock Workers (Hansard, 18 December 1952)

§ 29. Mr. Lewis
asked the Minister of Labour what objections he has received from unions catering for dock workers to the recently-announced dock workers release scheme; and how many dock workers have claimed their release under this scheme at the latest convenient stated date nationally and in the Royal group of docks, respectively.

§ Sir W. Monckton
No representations about the release scheme have been made to me by any of the unions concerned.
I should prefer to wait until the scheme has been running a little longer before attempting to assess the response to it.

§ Mr. Lewis
Many dockers have been out of work for some months now. Surely there has been adequate time, in view of the weeks that have gone by, for the right hon. and learned Gentleman to let us know how many have availed themselves of this scheme. Can he give us some information, even if it is only on an interim basis?

§ Sir W. Monckton
The House will realise that it is not my scheme but the scheme of the Dock Labour Board. It is the Board's view that they should have a little longer in order to see how the scheme works. I know that more than 100 have availed themselves of the scheme already.

32. Mr. Lee
asked the Minister of Labour how far dock workers who elect to have their names entered on the dormant section of the workers' register will be subject to the Notification of Vacancies Order.

§ Sir W. Monckton
Dock workers who have been granted temporary release under the recently-announced scheme will, like other workers, be free to seek and obtain their own employment, but employers who wish to engage them must comply with the requirements of the Notification of Vacancies Order.

Mr. Lee
What would be the effect if one of the dockers were again to change his employment? Would he be free during the whole period before he made his final decision? Would he be free to keep on changing his employment without coming under the provisions of the Order?

§ Sir W. Monckton
On changing his employment I think he would come under the provisions, but it applies in only a restricted way to the employer and not to him.

33. Mr. Lee
asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that contained in the explanation of the release scheme for dockers there appears a statement by the General Manager and Secretary of the National Dock Labour Board that a careful survey of the future trend of imports and exports makes it obvious that for some time to come no great improvement in the present level of dock work is to be expected; and on what calculations this statement is based.

§ Sir W. Monckton
I have nothing to add to the answers that I gave to a number of supplementary questions on this subject in the House on 4th December.

Mr. Lee
Would not the right hon. and learned Gentleman agree that when we see on the back of the release scheme form itself that the General Manager has told the dockers that there is no prospect of the docks industry being able to expand to its previous level, what, in effect, is being said is that trade in the foreseeable future will continue to sag and that our export and import position cannot possibly improve again? If that is so, would he not agree that the Government have a tremendous task in front of them to alter that situation?

§ Sir W. Monckton
The Government certainly have a tremendous job of work in front of them, but I would point out that the observations which the hon. Gentleman is construing are the observations of the Board, taking into account all the information which they have.