HC Deb 02 February 1956 vol 548 cc1079-80
59 and 60. Mr. D. Jones

asked the Secretary to the Treasury (1) from which Customs and Excise station suitable officials are supplied to provide "on call" Customs at the ports of Billingham, Gateshead, Jarrow and Seaham Harbour;

(2) on how many occasions in the calendar year 1955 it was necessary to provide "on call" Customs facilities at Billingham, Gateshead, Jarrow and Seaham Harbour; and at what cost to the Treasury.

Mr. H. Brooke

Billingham and Gateshead lie within the ports of Middlesbrough and Newcastle respectively; Jarrow is partly in Newcastle and partly in the port of South Shields. The Customs work at these places is dealt with by the permanent staff of these ports as part of their normal duties. A Customs officer is stationed at Seaham Harbour to deal with Customs and Excise work there. There is, therefore, no need to arrange for "on call" attendance at any of these four places, and the second Question does not therefore arise.

Mr. Jones

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in 1955 he told me that "on Call" Customs facilities were available at all these ports? If the stations mentioned by him can provide offices for "on call" Customs at those four ports in the North-East, will the right hon. Gentleman explain why it is not possible to find them for Greatham?

Mr. Brooke

There are permanent staff available at all those four ports. The aerodrome in which the hon. Gentleman is interested was found during an experiment to have very little traffic, and it was deemed not to justify the provision of "on call" facilities.

Mr. Jones

Is it not the case that some of those ports had less traffic in 1955 than the airport?

Mr. Brooke

No, that is not so.