§ 10.12 p.m.
§ Brigadier Terence Clarke (Portsmouth, West)When I came into the Chamber I thought we were talking about the Middle East, a subject in which I am extremely interested. I have had many letters about it. A lot of newspapers in Scotland, as well as Scotsmen, have been asking me recently for my views on the Middle East. I thought I would get up and tell the House how the refugees, which the newspapers did not mention in their articles, ought to be looked after.
For years we have been giving refugees a lot of money for doing nothing except read. With more and more refugees every year coming out of the Middle East it is clear that if only we stopped paying this money they would solve their own problem and find a way of earning their own living. While they are paid to do nothing they will go on doing it. I will try to connect our Middle East problem with Scotland, but I would say, first, to the Government and to the Scottish newspapers who write to me on this subject, that if they would like me to write an article and will pay me sufficiently I will tell them how to solve that problem.
Prestwick must be one of the world's worst airports. As was described by the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Rankin), it has one hotel and nothing else.
§ Mr. RankinThe hon. and gallant Member has joined the debate very late. He must not misrepresent what I was saying, which was that the amount of money devoted to the expansion of Prestwick is not in keeping with its importance.
§ Brigadier ClarkeI do not deny it. All I am saying is that instead of spending that money on Prestwick, which the hon. Gentleman suggested is not all that "hot" in regard to hotel accommodation, and would not attract a single tourist, Portsmouth should be considered. There we have an excellent airfield and beautiful hotels. We share the temperature and climate that the hon. Member has in Scotland.
§ Mr. Rankin rose—
§ Brigadier ClarkeYou have had a long time; let me have my go. The South of 475 England is quite as good as Scotland. We have the hotel and the airport; let us have a service that goes with it.
§ Mr. Rankin rose—
§ Brigadier ClarkeYou have had your bit. My constituents will like this. As to a modern airport, we cannot "ruddy well" get it, but we might be able to get an airport between the two of us.
§ Mr. Deputy-SpeakerThe hon. Member should address the Chair.
§ Brigadier ClarkeI am sorry, Mr. Deputy-Speaker. I withdraw whatever I ought not to have said. So long as we can both have an airport, you and I will both be happy.
That is not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about dilutees at Portsmouth. I have been with the First Lord tonight and the Civil Lord. At some period during the war we allowed dilutees to go into Portsmouth Dockyard and they were allowed to work. They were unskilled or semi-skilled naval ex-Service men who had a right to earn a living. The Admiralty agreed that if they served for seven years they would then be considered as tradesmen and allowed to go on earning their living as tradesmen. Because of the recent recession and closing of the dockyards, these men now find themselves without a job.
The trade unions are saying—and I hit them very hard for this—that if there is one trained man in Portsmouth without a job the dilutees must go. There are disabled ex-Service men in Portsmouth dockyard who are unable to earn their living because of a trade union agreement with the Admiralty. These agreements were made at a time when, no doubt, the Admiralty thought that it would never have to honour them, but through closing the dockyards Service men in Portsmouth, excellent types, are now being thrown out of work because of an agreement made during the war, which I think ought not to have been made.
Through that agreement, men will lose their jobs and someone from outside Portsmouth will take their place. If that is what trade unions stand for, I am not surprised that under 40 per cent. of the people in Portsmouth Dockyard belong to them. If that sort of thing continues, I do not think that even 40 per cent. will belong to the trade unions in future.
476 I am sorry that there is not a Minister present to answer all the questions which have been raised about Russia and Siberia. Perhaps the Ministers will read tomorrow what has been said and perhaps the First Lord, the Civil Lord and others will realise that they cannot treat ex-Service men in this off-hand way and throw them out merely to save a trade union.