§ Mr. Critchleyasked the Minister of Transport what further steps he is taking to improve the slow rate at which ships are turned round in ports and why improvement has not been more rapid.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Moore-Brabazon:The speed of turn-round of ships depends upon a number of factors, all of which are under constant examination by the Departments concerned. Delay may occur at various stages and be due to many causes. Very many measures have been taken or are in hand, but the rapidity with which results are achieved necessarily varies with the circumstances. My Department is particularly concerned to reduce to a minimum the time taken in discharge of cargoes and in clearance inland, and the recent appointments of Regional Port Directors, with wide executive powers, will result in substantial improvements in these directions. I may also refer to the scheme recently announced to improve the rate of discharge in the Mersey ports by the employment of dock labour on a guaranteed weekly basis, combined, where possible, with payment by results. This will come into force this month, and I hope to introduce a similar scheme for other ports in the near future.