§ Mr. Awberyasked the Minister of Transport in view of the fact that in some cases where the recommendations of the Rochdale Committee were to close a port the trade has considerably increased, if he will reconsider his decision in these cases.
§ Mr. MarplesI have not taken any decision in these cases. The recommendations of the Rochdale Committee will be reviewed by the National Ports Council in consultation with the port authorities concerned. The Council will take into account changes in the circumstances of individual ports.
§ Mr. Awberyasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that some of the recommendations of the Rochdale Committee ere in process of being implemented while the others still await decision, so causing uncertainty and delaying developments in the ports affected; and if he will expedite his decisions.
§ Mr. MarplesI have taken steps through the Harbours Act and the establishment of the National Ports Council to implement the recommendations of the Rochdale Committee, but some of them raise fundamental problems which will require lengthy study by the Council and the industry itself. The Council are fully aware of the need to remove uncertainty in ports affected as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Gowerasked the Minister of Transport (1) if he is aware that his recent statement rejecting the advice of the Rochdale Committee in respect of the docks at Newport has emphasised the need felt by all connected with the port of Barry for an early decision to remove the uncertainty caused by the Rochdale recommendations of almost two years ago; and if he will expedite his decision to permit the carrying out of developments contemplated by a number of companies at Barry docks;
(2) whether, in view of the increase in the extent and variety of the docks trade at Barry since the publication of the recommendations of the Rochdale 257W Committee nearly two years ago, of the subsequent creation there of new installations by various companies, and of the master-plan of the Docks Board, the Railways Board and the National Coal Board to concentrate coal exports through Barry and Swansea, he will make an early announcement reversing the Rochdale recommendations as they apply to Barry docks.
§ Mr. MarplesPlans for the Port of Barry are in the first instance a matter for the British Transport Docks Board. The National Ports Council will examine the future of the port, as of other South Wales ports, in the light of the proposals of the Docks Board rather than the recommendations of the Rochdale Committee. The Council assure me, as they assured the Barry Corporation some time ago, that they are approaching this question with an entirely fresh mind and in the light of up-to-date information about the trade of Barry.