§ Mr. Hirstasked the Minister of Transport what further action is being taken to improve the position in the port of Hull involving the import and export trade of Yorkshire in delays in the handling of raw materials and merchandise, and mounting costs in demurrage charges.
§ Mr. SwinglerThe British Transport Docks Board has a £16 million capital investment programme for Hull in the next five years. Two roll-on roll-off terminals are being built at No. 5 Quay, King George Dock, and major improvements are being made to the Alexandra, Victoria, Albert and Wm. Wright Docks. The Board has asked my right hon. Friend to authorise a £7 million scheme to provide eight additional berths in King George Dock.
The Board is providing additional shed space and co-operating with port users in measures to provide information services and to facilitate the movement of exports and the clearance of imports from transit sheds.
Unofficial one-day strikes and the ban on weekend working have aggravated conditions at Hull. Efforts to settle the 162W grievances about piecework rates are continuing through the local negotiating machinery. It is hoped that industrial relations generally in the docks will be improved by the action being taken to implement the Devlin Report which was outlined in the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour gave to the hon. Member for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher) on 21st February.