§ Lord AucklandMy 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 under what circumstances the construction of the P. & O. £80 million cruise ship is being undertaken by the Wartsilä shipyard in Finland; what contracts were offered to United Kingdom shipyards, and for what period of time were the contracts put out to tender before the final decision was made.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Bellwin)My Lords, the selection of a contractor for this ship and the tendering procedures that were followed are commercial matters for P.& O. British Shipbuilders tendered for the ship but were unable to meet the delivery requirements, due to the corporation's success in securing other new orders.
§ Lord AucklandMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer. May I ask him whether he is aware that last September I went to Finland and spent an afternoon at Wartsilä shipyard? Is my noble friend further aware that this is a very efficient shipyard, both in management and in union matters? Would my noble friend accept that the tendering for this particular vessel could surely lead to a reciprocal arrangement? And would he convey to his right honourable friend the desirability of a British team of shipbuilders visiting Wartsilä to see what progress they have made there, and vice versa? Finally, although I have the greatest respect for the efficiency of our British shipyards, would my noble friend agree that there is a very strong case for a visit of this kind to offset the trade deficit which we have with Finland, and possibly to get an order for our shipyards for a Finnish icebreaker or a similar vessel?
§ Lord BellwinMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for his great interest in this matter and for his raising it here. I hear what he says about a visit, and will certainly see that his suggestion is passed on to my right honourable friend. I am sure that my noble friend is aware that in fact British Shipbuilders have received an important export order from Scandinavian customers at the Swan Hunter yard, which also bid for the P.& O. order. Nevertheless, what my noble friend has said is helpful and I gladly undertake to convey it to those concerned.