§ 12. Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will pay an official visit to Immingham Docks.
§ Mr. CroslandI have no immediate plans to do so, although I am frequently in that area.
§ Mr. BrothertonThat reply will be received with regret in Immingham. Does the Minister realise that in the ports of Immingham and Grimsby there is great concern about the constant increase in port and dock charges? Will he use his influence with the British Transport Docks Board to explain that raising charges in profitable ports such as Immingham, which may thereby become non-competitive, is a foolish policy? Does he agree that it is not for the profitable ports such as Immingham and Grimsby to subsidise ports such as Hull, on the north bank of the Humber, which make losses?
§ Mr. CroslandI am sorry to hear that I should not be welcome in Immingham.
§ Mr. BrothertonNo. The right hon. Gentleman would be welcome.
§ Mr. CroslandThe hon. Gentleman is extremely welcome in Grimsby, where we like to catch a glimpse of so eminent an eccentric.
388 I strongly disagree with most of the hon. Gentleman's views, as reported in the Grimsby Evening Telegraph. If I formed the slightest suspicion that the policy of the British Transport Docks Board was to penalise Immingham or Grimsby in favour of Hull, I should march arm in arm with the hon. Gentleman at the head of a demonstration.