§ Mr. Hamlingasked the Minister of Transport what financial assistance she proposes to provide to bring about the modernisation of the ports, as envisaged in paragraph 55 of the White Paper on Investment Incentives, Command Paper No. 2874.
§ Mrs. CastleI intend to use my powers under Section 12 of the Harbours Act, 1964, to make grants to statutory harbour authorities of 20 per cent. of their approved capital expenditure on
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- (a) building and civil engineering works which will make a substantial and desirable contribution to facilities for international trade and trade with Northern Ireland and with Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles of Scotland.
- (b) specialised plant and mechanical equipment required for loading or unloading goods in or from a sea-going ship or handling such goods on harbour land or at a wharf.
I also intend to make grants on expenditure of this kind by other harbour authorities and persons carrying out harbour operations. This will require an extension of my existing powers and the necessary amendment will be made in the Docks and Harbours Bill.
Expenditure by persons in the manufacturing and extractive industries on port facilities for their own business will not qualify for assistance under this scheme. In certain circumstances such persons may be eligible for grants under the Industrial Development Bill, now before Parliament, in respect of machinery or plant which they use at ports for carrying on qualifying industrial processes as defined in that Bill.
Payments made on and after 17th January, 1966 will be eligible for grant. The first grant payments will be made in the June quarter of 1967. The detailed arrangements for claiming grant will be published in due course.
I shall in each case consult the National Ports Council before making grants.
Loans under section 11 of the Act will continue to be available to statutory harbour authorities as before.