HC Deb 24 March 1955 vol 538 c2250
16. Mr. Callaghan

asked the President of the Board of Trade what reply he has made to the letter from the Chairman of the Institute of Shipping and Forwarding Agents calling for improved export facilities.

17. Mr. G. Jeger

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now received a letter from the Institute of Shipping and Forwarding Agents on the question of British exports; and what reply he has sent.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

This letter was about port facilities, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation has replied.

Mr. Callaghan

Is it not the responsibility of the Board of Trade to try to avoid these long lines of lorries, which are held up for hours and sometimes for days, and as a result of which vital exports are not leaving the country? Will the President draw the attention of these gentlemen to the fact that, if they care to send their goods to the ports of South Wales, there will be no delay and their goods can be despatched straight away?

Mr. Thorneycroft

The hon. Member is trying to tempt me into what would be a very attractive answer from the point of view of my location in the world, but at the same time this letter referred specifically to matters under the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, who has dealt with it.

Mr. Jeger

Would the Minister bear in mind, when considering South Wales, that the Port of Goole in the West Riding offers unexampled facilities for a quick turn-round and good arrangements at the docks? But in considering export facilities, will he also bear in mind that there is uncertainty and anxiety in Goole when in one part of the docks coal is being exported and in another part of the docks coal is being imported? Will he bear in mind that his complacency about the present position of our exports is not shared there?

Mr. Thorneycroft

Because of those reasons, I was restrained in the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan).