§ Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the annual increment in basic wages expressed as a percentage paid to registered dockworkers in (a) the Port of London Authority and (b) the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe information requested is as follows:
Percentage on basic wage Year PLA * MHDC † 1980 10.9 18.0 1981 7.3 14.0 1982 4.3 10.0 1983 3.2 9.1 1984 4.0 7.4 *For a grade 1 registered dock worker, the figures for 1983 and 1984 exclude the consolidation of some pay elements into the basic rate as part of an agreement made after mediation. †The annual increase in the company's wage bill in respect of registered dock workers was about two thirds of these figures.
§ Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the number of hours of overtime worked by registered dockworkers in (a) the Port of London Authority and (b) the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company in each of the last five years.
65W
§ Mr. David MitchellWe do not have this information about the Port of London Authority. The average numbers of hours of overtime per week worked by the registered dock workers employed by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company were:
Hours 1980 2.0 1981 1.7 1982 2.0 1983 2.4 1984 2.5
§ Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the cost to the Port of London Authority of working days lost in stoppages in 1983.
§ Mr. David MitchellWe do not have information on this for 1983.
§ Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the number of working days lost in stoppages in the Port of London Authority in 1984 and the cost thereof to the authority.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe PLA has estimated some 40,800 man days, mainly due to two national dock strikes, at a loss of some £1.25 million revenue.
§ Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the number of working days lost in stoppages in the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company in 1984 and the cost thereof to the company.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe company has estimated 48,200 man days for all employees, due almost entirely to two national dock strikes, at a cost of some £4 million loss of revenue and £2 million profit.
§ Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the trading profit or loss of (a) the Port of London Authority and (b) the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company in each of the years 1979 to 1984 after interest payable.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe information requested is as follows:
Profit(loss)—£ million PLA MDHC 1979 (7.25) (7.46) 1980 (12.51) (6.25) 1981 (7.16) (6.72) 1982 (3.32) (14.22) 1983 (1.46) 7.47 1984 * 0.81 * Not yet published. Note: The figures for the MDHC and for the PLA in 1983 are after depreciation, interest and exceptional items and before taxation. Up to and including 1982 the PLA's accounts were constructed on a different basis. The figures quoted exclude certain restructuring items. Copies of the PLA's annual reports and accounts are in the Library.
§ Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) in what year he expects the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company to be able to trade profitably without the benefit of any financial assistance from the central Government;
(2) in what year he expects the Port of London Authority to be able to trade profitably without the benefit of any financial assistance from the central Government.
66W
§ Mr. David MitchellThat will depend primarily on how quickly they can match their work forces to the requirements of present and future patterns of trade.
§ Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many acres of derelict or unused land are currently in the ownership of (a) the Port of London Authority and (b) the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company; and how many acres have been sold in each of the last five years;
(2) what information he has as to the amount of money (a) the Port of London Authority and (b) the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company have received in each of the last five years from the sale or other disposal of land and buildings.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe Mersey Docks and Harbour Company is actively discussing with private developers the possible development of some 150 acres of land for non-operational purposes. Amounts of land disposed of, and proceeds from sales, which by judicial decision are paid to the company's stockholders, are as follows:
Year Acres Proceeds £000 1980 5.2 *118 1981 439.11 *3,600 1983 1.75 26 1982 43.0 *245 1984 Nil Nil * Includes advance payments for sales, and for vesting in the Merseyside Development Corporation, where the final prices have not yet been determined. Land owned by the PLA that is not in part-operational use is either in occupation or under negotiation for development. The amounts of land sold by the PLA and its proceeds from such sales, are as follows:
Year Acres Proceeds £million 1980 51 0.53 1981 57 0.74 1982 8 0.02 1983 11 0.20 1984 8 0.80 In addition, large areas of land were vested in and sold by agreement to the London Docklands Development Corporation in 1981 and 1983 respectively. The final prices to be paid have still to be settled, but the PLA has received on account some £14 million.
§ Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current average gross pay of a registered dockworker in (a) the Port of London Authority and (b) the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe current average gross weekly pay of a registered dockworker in the PLA is £190 and in the MDHC £189. The average gross weekly pay of registered dock workers in the industry as a whole in the first quarter of 1985 was £246.31.
§ Mr. Chopeasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he has taken to satisfy himself of progress by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company towards eliminating restrictive working practices; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what steps he has taken to satisfy himself of progress by the Port of London Authority towards eliminating restrictive working practices; and if he will make a statement.
67W
§ Mr. David MitchellI and my officials keep in close touch with both undertakings. As I said in my answer to my hon. Friend on 8 May at column397, both have reported significant productivity improvements in many of their operations. However, I do not consider it appropriate to make detailed inquiries about matters which are within the two undertakings' day-to-day management responsibilities.