§ LORD LLEWELLINasked His Majesty's Government, whether, in view of the importance of Bromborough Dock to the country's margarine, soap and edible oil supplies, they will give an assurance that nothing will be done in pursuance of the intended Transport Act to interfere with the use of the Dock for the purposes for which Parliament specially authorized its construction.
§ LORD WALKDENBromborough Dock was constructed and equipped under statutory powers for the primary purpose of giving sea-borne traffic direct access to the Port Sunlight works. Public use of the Dock is limited by Statute, and if unrestricted, might, it is understood, be detrimental, to production at those works. Nevertheless, it would be inappropriate to exclude this Dock from the scope of any scheme which might be made under Clause 65 of the Transport Bill as it might be possible to secure more extensive use of the Dock in the national interest without detriment to the interests of the proprietors. Under the Bill, no scheme can be formulated by the Commission without consultation with the proprietors; the Minister may hold an inquiry before making an order embodying the scheme; and in the event of objection being made and not withdrawn the order is subject to special Parliamentary procedure. With these safeguards, the Minister is not disposed to fetter the discretion of the Commission, of his successors or of Parliament to consider all relevant circumstances existing when a scheme comes to be framed, but he has no doubt that when consultations take place the importance of not interfering with so important a part of our national production as the Port Sunlight works will be a chief factor in the minds of all concerned.
House adjourned at eighteen minutes before eleven o'clock