HC Deb 03 February 1975 vol 885 c931
16. Mr. R. C. Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he intends to announce his future proposals for the shipbuilding and ship repairing industries.

Mr. Benn

I shall announce the Government's proposals as soon as possible.

Mr. Mitchell

Will the Secretary of State give an assurance that the Bill to take the shipbuilding industry into public ownership—which he said in answer to an earlier Question would come this year—will include the ship repairing industry? Does he agree that it would be ridiculous to take one industry into public ownership without the other?

Mr. Benn

Yes, Sir. That was made clear in the consultative document.

Mr. Burden

Will the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that when this widespread nationalisation takes place it will not in any way cut back on the repair and shipbuilding that is currently taken on by the Royal Naval dockyards?

Mr. Benn

The hon. Gentleman's question raises a matter that concerns the Secretary of State for Defence as well as myself. The intention is that this industry should be in a better position to take orders from everywhere.