§ 19. Mr. Russellasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how much manpower has been saved by the installation of labour-saving machinery in the docks in recent years; and to what extent time has been saved in loading and unloading.
§ Mr. WatkinsonAlthough progress is being made with the installation of labour-saving machinery in the ports, it is not possible to specify exactly the saving in manpower, but some remarkable savings of time in the turn-round of ships have been achieved by the installation of machinery, particularly in handling bulk cargoes.
§ Mr. RussellDoes my right hon. Friend mean by that that the ships are now being turned round in the ports more quickly or more slowly than before the war?
§ Mr. WatkinsonIt is so difficult to give an exact comparison. In some ports they are certainly being turned round more quickly. If my hon. Friend is interested. I will give him all the information I can.