§ 112. Mr. John Pageasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what effect the closing of the Suez Canal is having on the activity of Malta Dockyard; whether employment in the Dockyard is affected; and what steps he is proposing to take to assist the Dockyard.
§ Mr. BowdenIn common with other dockyards in the Mediterranean, the Malta Dockyard has suffered a shortage of work as a result of the closing of the Suez Canal; I understand that this has not resulted in any dismissals yet; we have decided to allocate the next refit of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Wave Ruler to the Malta Dockyard. This refit is due to start in August and is expected to take a month, during which time it will give employment for up to 500 men.