§ Commander BELLAIRSasked the Prime Minister if he will inquire of the different Departments concerned as to why mercantile ports, such as Liverpool, are under the sole control of naval officers; whether it is possible to restrict the naval officers to the naval side of the work in the vicinity of the port, giving him priority for warships, leaving the important rapid and methodical berthing of the merchant ships and transports to the experts who controlled the ports in peace time; and whether the Royal Naval Reserve officer who used to control the 546W port of Liverpool in peace time is now employed as an examination officer doing routine duties?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question.
It is not correct to say that mercantile ports such as Liverpool are under the sole control of naval officers.
Except in so far as the transport officers are concerned, who are the local representatives of the Shipping Controller and are assisted by shipping experts and commercial shipping agents, the work of the naval officer in the mercantile ports is confined to purely naval duties, including the formation of convoys, in which he is assisted at Liverpool by a committee of shipowners.
At certain of the larger ports, including Liverpool, port co-ordination committees have been set up composed of representatives of the following interests: Admiralty, Ministry of Shipping (principal naval transport officer), War Office, port authority, shipowner, and labour, whose duties are to co-ordinate the naval, military, and civil requirements of the port, utilising its facilities to the best advantage.
In the case of Liverpool, the arrangements for berthing the ships very largely remain in the hands of the owners and port authority, under the general superintendence of the Ministry of Shipping. The principle, followed is that of leaving the work of the ports in the hands of those who carried it out in peace time, subject to such supervision by the transport staff as will secure the necessary priority for naval and military work.
The Royal Naval Reserve officer referred to is combining his office of marine surveyor and water bailiff to the port authority with the general superintendence of the examination service, and no difficulty has been experienced in the proper and efficient performance of his duties in. this respect.