§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the London Port Authority have decided upon heavy increases in dock dues and landing charges in the Port of London, to come into force on the 1st April; that food and commodities will be affected by the increase; that this means that dock dues instead of being 1s. 3d. per ton, will be 2s. 1d. in future, and that standard landing charges on Hour, which are now 4s. 9d. a ton, will, with the new increase, be 9s. 6d. a ton; if he can state how the sum expected to be raised by the increased dues compares with the increased cost of labour resulting from paying the transport workers the extra 1s. 8d. per day; and if he will take action in the matter?
§ Mr. GOSLINGI have been asked to answer this question. I have seen a notice in the Press to the effect that the Port of London Authority are proposing to bring into force certain increases in their charges, but I am not in a position to verify the figures mentioned in the question or to make the comparison suggested. As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, Section. 5 of the Port of London (Dock Charges) Act, 1923, provides machinery whereby the maximum rates and charges authorised by the Act may be brought under review upon the application of representative bodies.