National Ports Authority

Part of Clause 1 – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 28 April 1970.

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Photo of Mr Fred Mulley Mr Fred Mulley , Sheffield Park 12:00, 28 April 1970

I think I am right in saying that in Clause 29(1)(a) the taking over of harbours covered by Clause 24 is excluded. If the hon. Member will look at Clause 29 he will see that point is covered.

The purpose is to ensure that the industry will become efficient. I make no bones about the fact that I happen to believe in public ownership—not as an end in itself, not because I think it is a good thing that there is a national flag outside, but because I think it is going to work; and because I believe it is going to work I do not fear that the nationalised ports will be at a disadvantage.

I look forward to our getting the industrial relations right. Believe me, there are no dockers in the world who can move cargo like British dockers when they have a mind to get on with the job. I hope so to organise things —this perhaps is why I shall be criticised later on—as to bring workers into management and get worker participation throughout the organisation. I believe this will work. That is why I have presented the Bill. I understand the fears. Frankly. I do not think they are well founded. That is why it is not necessary to extend, as my hon. Friends would like.

My hon. Friend the Member for Walton asked whether another type of Minister might be here. No Minister is every very certain how long he might hold any office, or certainly a particular office. I know that my hon. Friend was only putting the matter in a hypothetical context, but I could not agree with him that there was a prospect that there might be another Minister of another political complexion responsible for this industry. It seems to me that is not a probable contingency.

I would say, not only to the House but to people outside, that if we want this industry to be run efficiently, if we want it to come under public ownership, at the next election they must ensure that this party is returned, because the party opposite will do nothing either for the ports or for the workers in them. That is beyond question. I make it clear to both the Conservative and the Liberal spokesmen that it is all very well to criticise what is in the Bill—I am prepared to admit it is not perfect but I know of no one who knows anything about the ports who wants things to stay as they are. Therefore, the onus is on the other parties to say what they will do if things go wrong and we are no longer in office.