asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to bring the docks and stevedoring services in Scotland into public ownership or control on a regional basis.

Only a few of the commercial harbours in Scotland are privately owned. The ports on the Clyde are expected to be brought under a new Clyde Port Authority from 1st January next; a scheme for grouping the ports on the Forth is in preparation by the National Ports Council.A licensing system for port employers will be part of the legislation contemplated for implementing the Devlin Report.