HL Deb 16 October 1972 vol 335 cc1534-6

2.39 p.m.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what conclusions they have drawn from their study of the possible demands by bulk raw material users for development of maritime industrial development areas as originally proposed by the National Ports Council.

THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD DRUMALBYN)

My Lords, the Government have not yet reached any conclusions on this Study.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, in thanking my noble friend for a now familiar reply, as it has been over seven months may I ask him whether he is aware that when the Study was first commissioned in June of last year the object was to get a reply by last Christmas? Is there any hope of getting one by this Christmas?

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, I think the answer to both those questions is, Yes.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, may I further ask my noble friend. since the answer is now more hopeful, whether he and his friends will bear in mind the significance of this matter to regional development, which seems likely to be of increasing interest to this Government and this country in view of our, to my mind regretful, adhesion to the Common Market?

LORD DRUMALBYN

Yes, my Lords; the Government will bear all relevant considerations in mind.

LORD CLIFFORD OF CHUDLEIGH

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that three years ago I asked the previous Government what arrangements were going to be made to see that British steel did not lose out to its competitors on the import of cheap, pelleted iron ore from Australia in bulk carriers? Are the Government aware that Brazil as well as Australia is now in this bulk iron ore export business? Will the Government ensure that sufficient deep-water ports are available close to British steelworks where bulk iron ore carriers can discharge their cargo, rather than let the advantage go to our competitors in Japan, Germany and the United States?

LORD DRUMALBYN

Yes, my Lords. In the first place, of course, it will be a matter for the British Steel Corporation, subject to the Government's consideration, but it will certainly be borne in mind.

VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDS

My Lords, has the noble Lord considered, and is he able to tell us, whether the other countries of the Common Market, and indeed the rest of the world, are being quite so slow in making up their minds as we are and whether they have an advantage over us as a result?

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, the point of this particular inquiry was to assess the likely long-term demand of bulk processing industries for coastal sites. The people who have to make up their minds are the users themselves, particularly on coastal sites, and it would be for them to make application for planning permission, or the like, in due course.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, is it not the case that, in view of the relevance of this matter to development area policy and regional policy generally, it is not only a question of finding people who want to use these deep-water sites but of making it attractive for them to use the best deep water in Western Europe which is in Britain, instead of being siphoned off to Europe by all sorts of subsidies, open and disguised?

LORD DRUMALBYN

Yes, my Lords, I agree that that is an objective. I hope that the Report, when it comes to be made, will give some indications as to the outcome.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

Will the Report be made public, my Lords?

LORD HOY

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord to clarify the second part of his reply to the second question of the noble Earl, Lord Lauderdale? Was he in fact saying that the Government's decision on this Report will be announced before Christmas?

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, I was asked whether it was possible to hope that the decision would be made, and I replied that it would be. It would not be right for me to attempt to give a firm answer as to when the announcement will be made.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, will the Report be published?

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, this is obviously one of the matters that Ministers will have to decide. They will have to decide to what extent and in what form information should be given.