Northern Ireland (Appropriation)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 23 July 1979.

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Photo of Mr Gerry Fitt Mr Gerry Fitt , Belfast West 12:00, 23 July 1979

Yes. I accept what the hon. Gentleman said. Indeed I had every intention of referring to what happened, in the industrial relations sense, in the yard. I refer to a further paragraph of the answer: Some further decline in the shipbuilding work force is inevitable. What is meant by the words "some further decline"? Do they mean 3,000, 2,000, or 1,000?

In the city of Belfast, especially in East Belfast, the shipyard is more than an industrial concern. It is the linchpin on which every other facet of life depends. If it were to close, it would be calamitous for the morale of the workers in that industry and for that of the whole city of Belfast. A shipyard that has had such a proud history in peacetime and in wartime should be given every assistance to remain in operation.

In the lifetime of the previous Labour Government I had many discussions with the right hon. Member for Mansfield (Mr. Concannon). I led many deputations to him about industries that seemed to be in danger of collapsing overnight. The Minister went out of his way to go into every facet of the representations that we made. He took decisions that I am sure were contrary to the advice given to him by civil servants on industries in my area, West Belfast, which had been shaved off by the Government.

It was not the last Labour Government that finally closed down Peter Pan bakery; that decision was taken by the present Minister of State. Given all the circumstances pertaining to that bakery, I recognise that it may have been inevitable that my right hon. Friend had to take that decision, but I know that in the dying weeks of the last Government he went out of his way to give that bakery £50,000 in selective employment premiums to keep it in operation. Had there been the re-election of a Labour Government, I am quite certain that the same hard-nosed decision would have been taken in relation to that industry.