§ 37. Sir B. Jannerasked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet received the Report of the Sub-Committee of the Shipbuilding Advisory Committee which is considering the reasons why new orders for shipping tonnage are not being given to the United Kingdom, including the reason why Norwegian ship-owners have recently allocated their 1385 orders to other European countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ 59. Dame Irene Wardasked the Minister of Transport when he now expects to make a statement on the Report of his Advisory Committee on shipbuilding and ship-repairing matters.
§ Mr. MarplesI have now received this Report, and I will make a statement about it as soon as possible.
§ Sir B. JannerIn view of the urgency of the matter, will the right hon. Gentleman say when he proposes to make a statement? How much time will he take about it? Is he aware, for example, that of some 856,200 deadweight tons of shipping for thirty-six ships which Norway has ordered within the last few months, not a single vessel has been ordered here? Will he take into consideration whether that may not be partly due to the fact that we are not prepared to give proper credit terms in respect of shipbuilding orders? Will he consider whether something can be done in that direction?
§ Mr. MarplesI do not think that the question of credit terms is always a reason why orders are not placed in this country, because shipping owners in this country have in the recent past placed their orders abroad and there is no question of credit terms in those cases. The point is that the Report of the Sub-Committee—it is only a Report of a Sub-Committee—will go to the main Committee, and I must wait and listen to what the main Committee has to say. It would be very discourteous of me to make a decision before the Report had been referred to the main Committee, because a number of distinguished men in shipping, outside interests and the trade unions, serve on it.
§ Dame Irene WardWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that we have had leak after leak in shipping and shipbuilding matters? Is he aware that in the case of almost every committee advising him the delays seem to be abnormal? Will he take a little time away from railways and roads and really get down to doing something about the needs of this very great industry?
§ Mr. MarplesIt absolutely grieves me to disagree with my hon. Friend. There 1386 have been no delays at all on the part of my Ministry. As to the leaks in the Press to which she refers, she will find if she looks at them carefully that—if I may coin a phrase—they cancel each other out.