HC Deb 23 July 1969 vol 787 cc1719-20
21. Mr. Wall

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give an estimate of the value of exports lost through official and unofficial strikes, respectively, during each of the past four years.

Mr. Crosland

It is not possible to make a reliable estimate.

Mr. Wall

This is an important matter. Does not a rough estimate of the figures illustrate the need for legislation to cure what has become known abroad as "the English sickness"?

Mr. Crosland

No, sir. The question of legislation is a separate point which has been much discussed. As for the "English sickness", the House must get the matter in perspective. Of course, it is true that strikes can do damage to our export trade, particularly in sensitive industries like the docks. It must be an object of national policy to reduce the number, especially of unofficial strikes. There are two points which are constantly ignored in the Press. The first is that the loss of exports is frequently made up afterwards. The second is that almost all the major countries with which we are in competition have strikes which are equally damaging to their exports.

Mr. Spriggs

Is my hon. Friend aware that more good would be done if he would consult his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity on the matter of finding out the cause of strikes?

Mr. Crosland

Yes, sir; I agree.

Dame Irene Ward

Can the President of the Board of Trade say how we are getting on with the problem of the container ships? Are our container ships still held up in the port of Rotterdam? Cannot the right hon. Gentleman ensure that the flow of trade in the new container ships is carried on without all this interference from unofficial strikes and other strikes in the Docks?

Mr. Crosland

If the hon. Lady will put down a Question about container ships—

Dame Irene Ward

But the right hon. Gentleman ought to know the answer.

Mr. Crosland

If the hon. Lady will put down a Question on that subject, which bears little relation to the original Question, I shall be very happy to answer it.

Mr. John Lee

Will my right hon. Friend say how much damage to the economy has been done by the export of capital by private investors which could have been invested in this country?

Mr. Crosland

That again appears to be a somewhat different question.

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