§ 26. Mr. Benceasked the Minister of Transport what new steps he is taking to prevent a decline in the British merchant shipping industry.
§ Mr. MarplesI have little to add to what was said by my hon. and gallant Friend on 28th November. But shipping will recover only when freight rates improve, and this depends either on international agreement or on expansion in world trade. Meanwhile, we keep in close touch with the industry and help wherever we can.
§ Mr. BenceWe have been getting Answers like that for about nine years. We have heard about flags of convenience, the subsidising of ship construction, and all the rest. Cannot we have from the Minister some drastic new measures to help the British merchant marine? In the Indian Ocean, as a result of Indian Government policy, our coastal trade has been affected. In the North Atlantic, the Great Lakes and all over the world British merchant shipping is being hit very hard by the actions of other Governments. Will not the Minister do something to try to save the British merchant fleet?
§ Mr. MarplesThe hon. Gentleman must not exaggerate. Things are difficult, but in the last nine years our shipping and shipbuilding industries have had some quite prosperous times. He must remember that our Merchant Navy is now bigger, more modern, faster and more efficient than ever before. Also, we now have a Shipping Advisory Panel with a partnership between the Government and the industry which is closer than ever before. We have considered all those questions, including the matter of flag discrimination. The point is that we must be certain that whatever action we take will do us more good, on balance, than harm. It is quite possible to do ourselves a good deal of harm by 1311 taking precipitate action. If the hon. Gentleman has a specific point which he thinks we ought to consider, I shall be grateful if he will put it to me.