§ 2.55 p.m.
Lord CAMPBELL of CROYMy 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 whether it has yet been decided where in the United Kingdom the headquarters of the proposed new corporation, British Shipbuilders, is to be.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, I welcome the noble Lord's recognition in this Question that nationalisation is to proceed as the Government fully intend. 777 When the Bill was before Parliament last Session the Government stated that the headquarters would he in an assisted area with a tradition of shipbuilding.
Lord CAMPBELL of CROYMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer, though it is not very informative. When the Bill was before the House in September, the Government spokesman said that he hoped that the announcement would be made in the very near future. Can the Government explain why this basic initial decision has still not been taken when only last week they were complaining about delay—delay that has been caused to the shipbuilding industry by the action and inaction of the Government?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, the delay in announcing the location of the headquarters is due to the delay in the process of the Bill, but as soon as possible after the Bill has received Royal Assent a Statement will be made.
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, why is it now necessary to wait for Royal Assent? Does the noble Lord not recall that the noble Lord, Lord Melchett, said on behalf of the Government that an announcement could be made before Royal Assent? Why is it therefore now necessary to wait?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMBecause it is now necessary, my Lords.
Lord CAMPBELL of CROYBut, my Lords, arising from what the noble Lord said in his reply, are the Government not aware that the nationalisation of the shipbuilding and aircraft industries was available intact to the Government last month? Are all members of the Government aware that if the Lords' Amendments, limited to ship repairing, had been accepted the new Bill would not now be automatically before the Examiners, even though we warned on Second Reading in September that the ship repairing part of the Bill would raise questions of hybridity?