HC Deb 14 May 1958 vol 588 cc408-9
38. Mrs. Braddock

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why the troopships "Devonshire" and "Oxfordshire" are being transferred for all purposes from Merseyside to Southampton in June, in view of the effect this will have on the already high incidence of unemployment on Merseyside.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Airey Neave)

This is a reversion to pre-war practice. There are now only six troopships in use and the work involved does not justify separate embarkation and disembarkation organisations at two ports.

Mrs. Braddock

Is not the Minister aware that this is causing very great concern in Liverpool, in view of the great increase in unemployment along the dockside generally? Will he give further consideration to this matter? Already another ship has been moved from one of the dry docks for repair; the "Balzac" has been moved to an East European port. This is making things very difficult, and the numbers involved are increasing very considerably.

Mr. Neave

It was because of the concern of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour about the situation on Merseyside that I made full inquiries about the number of workers employed on the maintenance of these ships. I am satisfied that it is small and that the transfer will have little effect on the activities of the port. In view of the need for economy in trooping operations, I think that this decision is justified. We have recently been able to allocate work to Liverpool in connection with the reconditioning of two L.S.T.s.