§ 2.40 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT MARCHWOODMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether any estimate has been formed of the cost of demurrage owing to the strike of London dock workers and whether this cost falls on the community; and whether they have any statement to make on the losses likely to result to shipowners, importers, manufacturers and to the export drive in general.]
§ LORD WALKDENMy Lords, particulars of demurrage paid are not available. Very substantial loss resulted from the delay to ships and traffic in the Port of London. It is not possible to estimate the total amount, nor to indicate its precise incidence, except that it has been estimated that the cost of the ships' time lost alone was of the order of £880,000.
§ VISCOUNT MARCHWOODMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether any estimate can be formed of the loss of wages by industrial workers (other than dock workers) as a result of the hold-up of shipping in the dock and consequent delays in the delivery of raw materials.]
§ LORD WALKDENMy Lords, I regret to say that it is impracticable to make such an estimate.
§ VISCOUNT MARCHWOODMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the third question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government how many police officers were employed on special duty in connection with the dock strike; the number of man-hours worked by them, and the approximate cost to the community.]
§ LORD WALKDENMy Lords, in all, 1,358 police were employed on duties arising out of the strike of London dock workers from June 17–30. Their aggregate number of hours of duty was 10,010. No extra charges were incurred, the duty being part of the normal duties of the police.
§ VISCOUNT MARCHWOODMy Lords, arising out of the answers given, I very much regret that it is impossible for the 829 noble Lord to give the figures. I hope that it may be possible to do so, at least so far as possible, a little later. I feel the country should know the colossal cost and the problems that have been created by this calamitous strike. In connection with the answers, I should like to ask two further questions. First, have the Government any reason to think that the recent strike, the happy conclusion of which is welcomed by everyone in the country, was in any way due to unrest on the part of the dockers on other industrial issues, and to the trade union leaders being out of touch with the men; or were they wilfully misled by political agitators whose motives are not always above suspicion? From personal experience, I have always found the dock workers loyal to their responsibilities to the community, and I speak in no disparaging spirit in regard to this. Your Lordships will recall their devotion to duty during air raids and in face of other physical dangers. My second question is: What has been done to investigate the grievances which were made the occasion of the strike, and are steps being taken to prevent a recurrence of this kind of action, which is so devastating to the export drive upon which the very life of the nation depends?
§ LORD WALKDENI am afraid I cannot answer any of the noble Viscount's questions very extensively, except to say that this unhappy incident lasted only a fortnight. I am glad to say that we are rather fortunate in this country at the present time, in that our trade disputes are generally brief; they are always unofficial and we have fewer of them than we used to have years ago—years that I can remember. The circumstances of the recent dockworkers' strike are being suitably inquired into, while the position about their working arrangements is being considered as between the trade unions and the dock authorities. We are hopeful that improved arrangements may be made to prevent incidents of this kind in future.
§ EARL HOWEMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord if the investigation he referred to will include the reintroduction of the Trade Disputes Act?
§ VISCOUNT MARCHWOODMy Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord for his courtesy and his kindness in giving me the replies he has.