§ Mr. Callaghanasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the number of workers in the ship-repairing industry in Cardiff declined by 30 per cent. in the three years from 1958 to 1960 inclusive; if he will state the number of insured employees in this industry at the most recent convenient date; and what steps he proposes to take to arrest the continuing decline in this industry.
§ Mr. MarplesThe number of insured persons in ship-repairing in the Cardiff area fell by 30 per cent. from May, 1958 to May, 1960, from 3,670 to 2,550. The number of unemployed included in these figures fell in the same period by over 20 per cent. from 658 to 510. Later figures of insured persons are not yet available. Employment in ship-repairing in the United Kingdom declined from 1957 to 1959 but has partly recovered now. How much ship-repair work Cardiff can secure depends upon the volume of shipping in the area and the competitive ability of the yards there.