§ 22. Sir John Tilneyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he is going to publish the PA Consultants report on ship repairing in Great Britain.
§ Mr. ChatawayI have not yet received the report from the consultants and am not therefore in a position to make a statement about publication.
§ Sir John TilneyWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind the importance of ship repairing to employment throughout the country, and especially on Merseyside, and that an order book which goes up and down like the spring tides is not likely to be helpful in that regard?
§ Mr. ChatawayYes, Sir, and because of those difficulties we felt it right to commission this study.
§ Mr. DellIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that his reply is very disappointing? There was expectation that this report would be in his hands by June and that he would be making a statement in July. This continuing uncertainty can only be damaging to the ship repairing industry.
§ Mr. ChatawayThe consultants have visited a large number of ship repairers both in Great Britain and abroad. The right hon. Gentleman is right in that it has taken longer than I had hoped, but I expect to receive the report very shortly.