HC Deb 20 January 1954 vol 522 cc985-6
6. Mr. F. Willey

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will make a statement on his recent visit to North-East shipyards

Mr. J. P. L. Thomas

Yes, Sir. I was very glad to have this opportunity of visiting shipbuilding and ship repairing yards on the North-East Coast and of meeting representatives of both sides of the industry. I can assure hon. Members that I am well aware of the problems confronting the industry and that I am anxious that every shipbuilding area, including the North-East Coast, shall receive fair treatment.

Mr. Willey

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his visit to the North-East shipyards was very much appreciated by the shipbuilding interests and we hope that it will be followed by serious consideration of very difficult problems facing the future of the industry? Is he further aware that in Sunderland, in particular, we regret that the Mayor of Sunderland was not given the opportunity of formally welcoming him to the town, and the trade union spokesmen in Sunderland regret that, although the right hon. Gentleman met the trade union leaders in Newcastle, he did not meet the trade union leaders in Sunderland?

Mr. Thomas

I did not want in the course of my very full tour to put the municipal leaders in the various towns and cities through which I passed to the bother of actually coming out to welcome me. It is true that I called upon the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, but that was because I was staying in Newcastle for the night.

An Hon. Member

Because he was a Conservative.

Mr. Thomas

He was a Liberal Member of Parliament in this House in days gone by. So far as the trade union representatives are concerned, I extended through the Chairman of the Northern Regional Board of Industry, Sir Mark Hodgson, an invitation to representatives of the trade unionists of the North-East shipbuilding industry to meet me, and the choice was theirs. I was very glad indeed to meet their representatives who came to Newcastle to see me and to entertain them.

Mr. Blenkinsop

While the right hon. Gentleman was there, did he receive representations with regard particularly to the delivery of boiler plate for shipyards?

Mr. Thomas

I did receive them and I have taken note of them.