HC Deb 13 May 1953 vol 515 cc1218-9
2. Mr. Keenan

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what ship-repairing refits and overhauls were carried out on British merchant ships in foreign ports during the years 1951, 1952 and to date in 1953, expressed in tonnage and costs; and what were the tonnage and costs of foreign merchant ships refitted and overhauled in Great Britain by ship-repairing firms during the years 1951, 1952 and to date in 1953.

Mr. Digby

Since 1949 there have been no restrictions on British merchant ships carrying out repairs in soft currency countries abroad, and the information asked for in the first part of the Question is therefore not available. As regards the second part of the Question, I have no information on the cost of repairs to foreign ships in the United Kingdom, nor can I give the annual tonnage handled. I have available, however, figures showing the tonnage of foreign ships in hand at the end of each month. The average gross tonnage was: in 1951, 193, 000; in 1952, 178, 000; and in the first three months of 1953, 166, 000. These figures represented about 8 per cent. of the total load in the ship-repairing yards.

Mr. Keenan

Will the Minister not agree that it is, to say the least, unfortunate that we have not the figures, since it is the contention of ship-repair workers, or those responsible for them, that we send a lot of repair work abroad because it is done there more cheaply, which is against our ship-repair workers here? Can the Minister do anything to get those figures so that we can know whether there is that balance of one as against the other?

Mr. Digby

Such figures as I have available would not go to show that, but rather that the balance of advantage lies with the repair yards in this country.

Mr. Logan

Could the Minister say whether there has been any diversion from English to foreign ports, and if so, whether these have been only emergency measures adopted at the ports where the ships were?

Mr. Digby

As regards diversion, I am not sure what the hon. Gentleman has in mind. Owners are free—

Mr. Logan

I want to know whether we are diverting work from English ports to foreign ports or whether the repairs that have taken place in foreign ports have been emergency repairs which could not be avoided.

Mr. Digby

Under the last Government restrictions were taken off the repair of British ships abroad but, as far as we know, these are considerably less than the foreign ships which are being repaired here. The 8 per cent. represents something in the nature of 30 ships.

Mr. Ede

Can the hon. Gentleman explain the fall in each of the three years he quoted for work in English yards?

Mr. Digby

No, Sir. That might be partly due to the end of the very big repair programme after the war which has now been completed.