§ Mr. Costainasked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has received under Section 13(4) of the Transport Act, 1962 from the British Waterways Board about the exercise of its powers to manufacture; and whether he has approved these proposals.
§ Mr. MarplesI have received from the British Waterways Board the following proposals, which I have approved without modification:
PROPOSALS FOR THE EXERCISE OF THE BRITISH WATERWAYS BOARD'S POWERS OF CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURE, AND PRODUCTION UNDER SECTION 13 OF THE TRANSPORT ACT, 1962.
1. Apart from the articles mentioned in paragraph 2 below, it is the general policy of the Board to rely on outside sources of supply. Wherever the question arises as to the merits of making in their own workshops or using outside suppliers, the Board have regard not only to cost but to all relevant factors including delivery date, and for this purpose will continue from time to time to make a comparison between the cost of construction, manufacture and production in their own workshops and the quotations of outside suppliers. Purchase from outside suppliers will normally be by competitive tender except in the case of articles of a specialised or proprietary nature or where the quantity required is insufficient to justify the adoption of such a course.
2. The manufacturing activities which the Board propose to undertake themselves are:
- (a) The construction, fabrication and assembly of lock-gates, sluices and similar equipment.
- (b) The production of concrete piles for bank protection purposes and minor products consisting of concrete, wood and other materials used in waterway construction and maintenance.
- (c) The building of small craft required for their own maintenance purposes and the conversion for their own purposes of any craft capable of using their waterways from power to dumb or vice-versa, shortening or lengthening of craft and the installation
227 in craft belonging to them of specialised engineering equipment purchased from outside sources (in accordance with the powers in section 13(1)(a) of the Act as modified by section 13(7)). 3. It is the Board's intention to tender, where appropriate and within the limits of the capacity normally maintained for the Board's own purposes:
- (a) for the requirements of other nationalised transport undertakings for the purposes of their business (in accordance with the powers in section 13(1)(b) and (c) of the Act):
- (b) for the requirements of other inland waterway undertakings for plant or equipment of a kind ordinarily made for use in connection with the operation of an inland waterway (in accordance with the powers in section 13(2) of the Act).