§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether, in view of the fact that the Belfast harbour commissioners do not provide any public silo facilities similar to those provided at other major ports in Great Britain, thus impeding the importation of bulk grains and similar cargoes for the Northern Ireland agricultural market, he proposes to take action to remedy the situation under his proposed legislation for Belfast harbour.
§ Mr. Concannon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23 March 1979; Vol. 362W 964, c. 792], gave the following information:
The organisation of the port of Belfast, including the provision of facilities such as silos, is currently the responsibility of the Belfast harbour commissioners. It will continue to be so following reconstitution which relates solely to the method of appointment of the commissioners.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he proposes to make a maximum retiring age for newly appointed commissioners to serve on the Belfast harbour board.
§ Mr. Concannon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23 March 1979; Vol. 964, c. 792], gave the following answer:
No.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether he has agreed to reconstitute the Belfast harbour board on the lines set out by the chairman of the commissioners in his letter to the Department on 20 December 1978;
(2) how many persons at present serving on the Belfast harbour board he intends to nominate for the newly constituted board;
(3) what will be the total number of persons nominated by his Department to serve on the new harbour board in Belfast; how many are now serving on the present board and how many trade union interests will be nominated by his Department;
(4) whether the present chairman of the Belfast harbour commissioners plus 11 of the current commissioners will be nominated by his Department to serve on the newly created board.
§ Mr. Concannon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23 March 1979; Vol. 964, c. 791], gave the following information:
The present chairman of the Belfast harbour commissioners, Mr. W. H. Barnett, has accepted my invitation to serve as the first chairman of the new harbour board. The composition and number of the remainder of the board is still under consideration and the Northern Ireland committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Belfast city 363W council have been asked for nominations. However, it is my intention to reappoint a number of the existing harbour commissioners on their merits and to preserve continuity with the present board.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when and on what basis he had consultations with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions or individual unions on the Government's proposals to reconstitute the Belefast harbour board.
§ Mr. Concannon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23 March 1979; Vol. 964, c. 791], gave the following information:
I discussed the reconstitution of the Belfast harbour commissioners with representatives of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union and the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union at a meeting in Belfast on 25 March 1978. Officials also discussed various aspects of the proposed reconstitution with the Northern Ireland officer of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions at an informal meeting on 2 October 1978.