§ 38. Mr. Shinwellasked the Minister of Transport how many of his staff are occupied with dealing with the affairs of 371 the Mercantile Marine and the shipbuilding industry.
§ Mr. MarplesOne thousand nine hundred and twenty-one, Sir.
§ Mr. ShinwellWhat are they doing?
§ Mr. MarplesThey are working very hard. That accounts for the improvement in shipping in the last three months.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs the Minister serious in making that reply? Is he not treating with contempt not only the shipbuilding industry and the Mercantile Marine but hon. Members who are rightly interested in the future of British shipping?
§ Mr. MarplesI think that the right hon. Gentleman's second supplementary question was not extremely serious. In the Question I was asked how many staff were occupied dealing with the affairs of the Mercantile Marine and the shipbuilding industry. My answer was 1921, and they are occupied dealing with the affairs of the Mercantile Marine and the shipbuilding industry.
§ Mr. MellishAs there is genuine concern on both sides of the House about the state of the shipping industry today, is it not right that the Minister of Transport and Shipping should now take the initiative and come forward and state what the Government have in mind in a specific way either by a debate or some form of White Paper rather than have the delaying tactics which have gone on month after month?
§ Mr. MarplesThey are not delaying tactics. We have achieved something in the last twelve months which has not been achieved before—that is, to get the Sub-Committee of the Shipbuilding Advisory Committee to get the shipowners and the men together round the table to consider a report. It took years before they could get together round a table to make a joint committee to go into the question of shipbuilding.