§ 15. Mr. Luceasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will pay an official visit to the port of Shoreham.
§ Mr. LuceWill the Minister send a message to the Secretary of State informing him that I would generally warmly welcome the chance to show him the port of Shoreham, as over the past 10 years the port had attracted a growing amount of trade from Scheme ports due to increased viability and efficiency? As 1119 the Dock Labour Scheme will damage the efficiency of the port and will insult the dockers who do not want privileged nannying, will he either withdraw the pernicious Bill or follow the Prime Minister's excellent example and resign?
§ Mr. BoothIf the hon. Gentleman cares to make an objective examination of the position of both Scheme and non-Scheme ports over the past 10 years, he will discover that the port to which he refers is one of a number of both Scheme and non-Scheme ports which have improved their trading position. I do not think that any industrial relations difficulties in the ports stem from the operation of the Scheme. The new proposals which we shall be making are intended to take account of the rapid run-down of labour in ports throughout the country—a rundown which can, in itself, give rise to grave industrial difficulties.