Clause 25.—(WELFARE AMENITY SCHEMES.) (Hansard, 6 July 1966)

§ Mrs. Shirley Williams
I beg to move, Amendment No. 22, in page 22, line 28 to leave out from "maintenance" to "port" in line 30 and to insert: whether by registered employers or by harbour authorities in the port, of such welfare amenities as the Board thinks ought to be provided and maintained for that". The Amendment makes the point that the Dock Labour Board should be able to decide which welfare amenities are appropriate to which ports. As the subsection stands, it could mean that the Board would have to provide every one of the welfare amenities listed later for every one of the ports in the scheme. It is clearly sense that the Board should not have to introduce protective clothing in ports which do not handle cargoes involving its use.
There is, of course, a clear guarantee that, wherever such amenities are required, they will be introduced, because 591 of the fact that the schemes are drawn up by the local boards, and there are now strong powers in force for these boards, which represent both sides of the industry. In consequence, the House may be assured that welfare amenities will be provided where they are necessary. The Amendment is designed to avoid absurd situations like the one which I mentioned.

§ Mrs. Shirley Williams
I beg to move Amendment No. 23, in page 22 to leave out line 33 and to insert: or, in the case of a supply of protective clothing, the persons for whom any such amenity is to be provided and in any case the time within which it is to be provided; and

(b) in relation to any amenity required to be provided within a specified area, may require the person who is to provide and maintain it to ensure that a suitable person is in attendance at specified times at the place where it is provided.

(2) In deciding the area within which welfare amenities of any description are to be provided under a welfare amenity scheme, the Board shall secure so far as possible that those amenities are conveniently accessible to the persons who in the Board's opinion are likely to use them".
Perhaps it would be for the convenience of the House if we took with this Amendment, Amendments No. 24 and No. 26.

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker
I think that that would be convenient.

§ Mrs. Williams
The purpose of the Amendment is to meet the suggestions in Committee of the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) and my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Kelvingrove (Dr. Miller). The Amendments would bring within the purview of welfare provisions the provision of protective clothing, and would provide that any amenity should be in a place convenient for dock workers and that an amenity block, where suitable, should have an attendant.
The Amendments meet the need for making welfare provisions as full as possible where they are required, and as convenient as possible for the use of dock workers, and, where it is thought suitable by the Board, giving the Board the power to provide an attendant. These welfare provisions come under the General Dock Regulations of 1934 which deal with safety matters. Therefore, although per- 592 sonal protective equipment must be provided, the Amendments make it clear that it would not be provided where it was not made necessary by the kind of cargo handled and would be left to the discretion of the local board.
Essentially, these are permissive powers. We hope that they will be used by the local boards where they are necessary and make for the greater convenience of dock workers.