Motor Industry (Hansard, 17 April 1956)

§ 6. Mr. Chapman
asked the President of the Board of Trade what decrease in exports of passenger cars and of commercial vehicles and tractors, respectively, occurred in the first quarter of 1956, compared with 1955.

§ Mr. Low
The information is not yet available. I would ask the hon. Member to await publication of the Trade and Navigation Accounts for March.

§ 7. Mr. Chapman
asked the President of the Board of Trade what approximate increase in motor car exports he expects in 1956.

§ Mr. Low
I would expect the motor car industry, as any other industry, to increase its exports as much as possible. The motor car manufacturers have expressed their determination to do so, but neither they nor I would venture to forecast in April their exports for the year.

§ Mr. Chapman
Is the Minister aware that the whole country realises now that the right hon. Gentleman is indulging only in platitudes when he makes remarks like that and that no one really believes that the Government expect that there will be a substantial or even significant increase in motor car exports this year? [HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"] Because of the figures already given. Why do not the Government put a sense of urgency into the meeting of the National Advisory Council, and any other bodies which they have, in order that the country as a whole may know whether the amount of steel, investment and so on in the industry is being used properly at present?

§ Mr. Low
I am certain that the motor car manufacturers have plenty of drive and that they also have more confidence in themselves than the hon. Gentleman has in them.

§ Mr. Stokes
If the motor car manufacturers have not the slightest idea of what they are to export, how can they plan for production at all?

§ Mr. Low
A motor car manufacturer may well have a very good idea of what he is planning to work on. The Question relates to the industry as a whole.

§ 8. Mr. Chapman
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now considered the representations made by the executives of 20 trade unions, meeting in conference in Birmingham on Monday, 9th April, that a full Government inquiry should be made into the extent of the difficulties of the motor car industry, its organisation and distribution costs and its export prospects; and 822 whether he will arrange such an inquiry so that the full position may be known.

§ 12. Mr. Osborne
asked the President of the Board of Trade what reply he has given to the representations of the Amalgamated Engineering Union for a Government inquiry into the motor industry; and, in accordance with the Government's general policy of restraint in wages and profits, if he will make it clear to both sides of industry that both profits and wages will have to come down unless, by greater productivity, the quality of our cars is improved and the prices reduced.

§ Mr. Low
My right hon. Friend has just received the representations to which these Questions relate. He will, of course, study them carefully. But he will have in mind that the motor car industry consists of a number of individual companies competing strongly with each other and with other overseas competitors and that the circumstances of the motor car industry have been very fully discussed at recent meetings of the National Advisory Council for the Motor Manufacturing Industry. Both sides of the industry are represented on the Council and are fully aware of the matters referred to by my hon. Friend the Member for Louth (Mr. Osborne).

§ Mr. Chapman
Is the Minister aware that this demand for an inquiry is now backed by the Confederation of Shipbuilders and Engineering Unions, representing well over a million workers in this country who are, in fact, expressing the very gravest doubt about the conduct of the industry and the refusal of the Government to do anything about it? Does not a demand from an organisation of workers as big as that mean anything to the Government?

§ Mr. Low
The hon. Gentleman will have noticed in the answer that my right hon. Friend will study representations made to him. He will also have noticed, and should be aware of the fact, that there is good consultative machinery already through which trade union representatives can make known their views.

§ Mr. Osborne
Would not my right hon. Friend agree that the more information about the industry that responsible trade union leaders can have the better, particularly if we are to get their co-operation to increase production; and will he 823 do his utmost to see that they get the information for which they are asking?

§ Mr. Low
That is the importance of the National Advisory Council for the Motor Manufacturing Industry, which has been in existence for some years and on which there are two trade union members.

§ Mr. Chapman
Two trade union members!