Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that it is not the practice of the Dock Labour Board to allow the staff of food importers to remove food from a dock area during a strike of dockers; and if he will now introduce amending legislation so that the practice of the Dock Labour Board be altered in this respect.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodUnder the provisions of the Dock Labour Scheme, only registered dock workers may be employed on dock work, and I am aware that the National Dock Labour Board was unable to provide labour to move food from the docks during the recent unofficial strike in the Port of London. My officials are discussing this problem with representatives of the industry in the course of their examination of the provisions of the Scheme in the light of the recommendations in the Devlin Report. Any amendments to the Scheme that may be decided upon will be made under the procedure laid down in the Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1946.