HC Deb 17 April 1975 vol 890 cc650-2
12. Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the original terms of appointment of Mr. Ivan Hoppe as managing director of Harland and Wolff.

Mr. Orme

The terms of appointment of Mr. Hoppe were embodied in an agreement made in 1971 by Harland and Wolff Limited. This is still a limited liability company in which the major shareholding is still in the private sector. Furthermore, correspondence has been exchanged with solicitors acting on behalf of Mr. Hoppe. In these circumstances it would not be proper to divulge details.

Mr. McNamara

That is an interesting reply. Perhaps my right hon. Friend would care to confirm two points. First, can he confirm or deny that the same company which so gallantly lent the services of Mr. Hoppe to Harland and Wolff also sold other services to the company and that, by a strange coincidence, Mr. Hoppe also happened to be a main shareholder in that company, so that apart from milking his director's fees he milked himself other fees as well? Secondly, can my right hon. Friend confirm or deny that Mr. Hoppe is still looking for payment in recompense for having lost his employment?

Mr. Orme

I said in my original reply that solicitors' letters were being exchanged on that last point. As for the first part of my hon. Friend's question, I think I am covered by what I said in my original reply. The future appointment of the new managing director will be on terms, I am sure, which will be acceptable to everyone.

13. Mr. Duffy

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with the reception accorded his proposals for worker participation at Harland and Wolff contained in the discussion pamphlet "Industrial Democracy".

Mr. Orme

Yes. I have discussed the document at meetings of workers at Harland and Wolff, who have undertaken to put to me within two or three months proposals for implementation in the yard.

Mr. Duffy

Will my right hon. Friend also impress upon the Harland and Wolff workers that his remarkable document gives them the opportunity not only to achieve economic solvency but to undertake a successful experiment in industrial democracy which could have helpful consequences for industrial democracy elsewhere and for political democracy in their own community?

Mr. Orme

I thank my hon. Friend for those remarks. This week I had the opportunity to meet 600 members of middle management and 250 shop stewards, and we discussed both the document and the parliamentary statement. There is a chance here with this experiment for Harland and Wolff to be in the forefront of achieving industrial democracy in the United Kingdom, and I feel increasingly that the workers are becoming aware of this.

Mr. McCusker

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that if he were to achieve the same degree of teamwork at Harland and Wolff as was achieved last night at Windsor Park, when Northern Ireland beat Yugoslavia, he would go a long way to coping with the problems of the shipyard? Will he congratulate them on that result and make every effort to ensure that the people of Belfast have every opportunity to emulate that example? That kind of teamwork, in all aspects of life, including industry will help solve problems in the future.

Mr. Orme

As we hope that England will play Northern Ireland shortly, I wonder on which side the hon. Gentleman will be on that occasion. It may be that Northern Ireland Ministers will not go over on that occasion. In this yard, with all its difficulties and its financial problems, the opportunities are immense. I have stated the Government's position before. This shipyard and its technology are crucial to the economic well-being of Northern Ireland. Therefore, a great responsibility rests upon its workers.