§ 34. Mr. Rankinasked the Minister of Transport whether he has any special proposals for dealing with the decline in the Scottish sihipbuilding industry.
§ Mr. MarplesShipyards throughout the country are facing difficulties, and I have no special proposals for those in Scotland.
§ Mr. RankinIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the shipbuilding industry in Scotland is in a very serious position indeed, particularly on Clydeside? Does he remember that, about a year ago, he said that the time to become serious about shipping and shipbuilding would be after the Recess and that that Recess is now some two or three Recesses away? Has he become sufficiently serious to tell Cunard to make the reassessment of the position in regard to the Q3 which he promised us nine months ago so that we may use the £18 million subsidy provided by the House to arrest the decline of British shipbuilding?
§ Mr. MarplesThe question of any new Cunard vessel is entirely one for the Cunard Company, not for the Government. We carried out our pledge, and the Cunard Company decided not to go ahead with the project.
At least, Scotland secured one-quarter of the total orders placed in this country in the first nine months of this year and 1313 has really got more than the share that England has. Moreover, I think that Scotland as a whole has done rather well lately. Scottish shipbuilders have had the order from P. & O. for tankers to be built on Clydeside.
§ Mr. RankinDoes the decision with regard to the Q3 lie wholly with Cunard? Are we to understand, after Parliament has agreed to a sum of money being used, that a private company can hold up a decision of Parliament?
§ Mr. MarplesThe hon. Gentleman is misinterpreting the Act which the House passed.
§ Mr. RankinNo, I am not.