§ 8. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Transport which ports in the United Kingdom are capable of handling modern container ships; and whether she will take steps to ensure that British ports are as well equipped as Continental ports to deal with this growing traffic.
§ Mr. SwinglerSeveral ports are already handling container services but no port is yet equipped to handle full container services on the deep-sea routes; schemes are, however, in hand or under consideration at a number of ports. The port investment grant scheme recently announced will help to encourage investment in new port facilities.
§ Mr. DigbyWould the Parliamentary Secretary ask his right hon. Friend to do everything to speed up this matter? We are falling dangerously behind. Will he at least ask her to bear in mind that the road system behind the ports, when they can handle containers, is equally important? It simply is not up to the right standards.
§ Mr. SwinglerThis programme is being speeded up. We have recently made a very big increase in the amount of port investment, and, according to the recent figures which I gave, that will continue.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs my hon. Friend aware that this matter is of the utmost importance to the future of British shipping, 1787 and that it requires immediate and close attention on the part of his Ministry?
§ Mr. SwinglerYes, Sir. This is why we are increasing capital investment in the ports to an average annual figure of £60 million a year compared with £18 a year during the last two years.