HC Deb 01 November 1979 vol 972 cc1578-80

Queen's Recommendation having been signified—

Motion made, and Question proposed, That, for the purposes of any Act of the present Session to raise the limits imposed by section 11 of the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 in relation to the finances of British Shipbuilders and its wholly owned subsidiaries, and to extend the application of section 10 of the Industry Act 1972 to include the alteration of completed and partially constructed ships and mobile offshore installations, it is expedient to authorise—

  1. (a) any increase in the sums charged on or issued out of the Consolidated Fund or the National Loans Fund under the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 which is attributable to provisions of the said Act of the present Session raising to £500 million the limit imposed by section 11 of the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 in relation to British Shipbuilders and is wholly owned subsidiaries, and authorising the Secretary of 1579 State to provide by order for that limit to be further raised to £600 million;
  2. (b) any increase in the sums payable out of money provided by Parliament under the Industry Act 1972 which is attributable to provisions of the said Act of the present Session extending the application of section 10 of the Industry Act 1972;
  3. (c) the payment of any sums into the National Loans Fund or the Consolidated Fund.—[Mr. Wakeham.]

9.52 p.m.

Mr. Dick Douglas (Dunfermline)

I hesitate to intervene in this debate to hold up the amount of money going to British Shipbuilders. Several points were raised during the earlier debate about the marine engineering industry, but the Minister totally failed to take cognisance of that issue. If there is a flow of funds to British Shipbuilders, that is British Shipbuilders in totality. It has responsibility for the marine engineering industry. If the Minister chooses to reply, I should like him to indicate what future he sees for this industry in terms of slow-moving diesel engines, carbines and other work that might go to those areas. I should like to know particularly how much of these total sums being made available in cash flow terms to British Shipbuilders might be designated for the important marine engineering areas of this country.

The Minister of State, Department of Industry (Mr. Adam Butler)

I think, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that this must fall within the money resolution. I remind the hon. Gentleman that I referred to the advantages of extending the home credit scheme to conversions in respect of marine engines. I hope that he will take my remarks as a definite reference to this subject. I believe that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland would acknowledge that he did not return to the point in his winding-up speech on Second Reading. He perhaps felt that the reference that I made was sufficient as a general reference and that it was probably not the right occasion for him to deal with particular points. As for the money resolution, a sum of money is provided for under clause 2 of the Bill for the extension to conversions. On the borrowing limit within British Shipbuilders as a whole, some of that money will be available for the marine engine activities of that company. I hope that my remarks satisfy the hon. Gentleman.

Question put and agreed to.