§ Mr. Simon Mahonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the new dock at Seaforth will be open ; what volume of trade has already been 183W accepted ; approximately how many new jobs will be brought into Merseyside by this development ; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PeytonI understand from the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board that the first container berth in the new Sea-forth dock is expected to be in use by the end of this year, and that other berths will follow at about monthly intervals during 1972.
The Board says that so far five companies have made firm commitments to use the new dock. Two of them are container lines, two are grain millers and the fifth is an international meat concern.
Seaforth is being built to meet the new requirements arising from increasing ship size and the use of containers. In addition to new trade, it will, of course, have to cater for traffic transferred from the older up-stream facilities. The board, therefore, does not expect the new dock to give rise to any substantial number of new jobs. The real benefits expected to be gained from Seaforth are a steady return to viability for the port.