Written Answers
Dock Congestion (Food Cargoes)
asked the Minister of Food whether he can state the present position in relation to food cargoes. alleged to be held up by reason of want of dock accommodation or other means of transport; and whether he will have inquiries made with a view to informing the House how soon all the causes of congestion are likely to be removed.
The whole question of port accommodation and transport arrangements is receiving the serious consideration of the Government. With regard to recent statements as to the situation at the London Docks, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Prime Minister yesterday to the hon. Member for Barnard Castle.
Japan
asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information to give regarding the political and social position in Japan.
If the hon. and gallant Member is referring to the recent Press reports of labour troubles and the dissolution of the Diet, the Foreign Office have, as yet, received no official information on the subject. I may add that some Tokio telegrams have taken as much as ten days on the way recently.
Royal Ordnance Factory
Employes
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Munitions whether an interim Report has been received from the Committee of Inquiry into a Contributory Pension Scheme for Royal Ordnance Factory Employés; what are the contents of this Report; and whether any reply has been made or decision arrived at in connection therewith.
As stated in replies to previous questions, an interim Report has been received It indicates the view of the Committee, in so far as they have explored the matter, that no Pension Fund Scheme would be acceptable to the workmen unless financial aid from the State were accorded. I regret that in existing circumstances I am unable to ask the Committee to resume its investigations in the direction of formulating any proposals that involve a liability on the Exchequer.
Ministry Of Shipping (Sale Of Ships)
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of
| TABLE "A." | ||||||||
| Statement showing cost und sale prices of ships built to Government Account. | ||||||||
| — | Built in United Kingdom. | Built Abroad. | ||||||
| No. | Cost Price (estimated). | Sale Price (net). | Profit (estimated). | No. | Cost Price (estimated). | Sale Price (net). | Loss (estimated). | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Sales to British Owners | 156 | 21,300,000 | 28,300,000 | 7,000,000 | 18 | 6,600,000 | 2,600,000 | 4,000,000 |
| Sales to Foreign Owners. | 104 | 15,000,000 | 19,600,000 | 4,600,000 | 101 | 19,800,000 | 14,600,000 | 5,200,000 |
| Totals | 260 | 36,300,000 | 47,900,000 | 11,600,000 | 119 | 26,400,000 | 17,200,000 | 9,200,000 |
| Estimated profit | … | £11,600,000 | Net estimated profit, £2,400,000. |
| Estimated profit | … | 9,200,000 | |
| Note:—1. The actual cost price of ships built cannot yet be stated as final accounts have not yet been received in all cases, and in other cases are still under examination. | |||
Shipping if he will now give a table showing all sales of ships by his Department, whether originally bought or built for Government account, showing their cost, the price at which they were sold, the names of the purchasers, and giving the present value of the ships.
The accompanying table "A" gives particulars of the estimated total cost and sale prices of vessels, contracted for by the Shipping Controller; it is not yet possible to give exact figures in a large number of cases as the final accounts are either still under examination or have not yet been received from the builders. Table "B" shows how the various contracts for the construction of ships have been disposed of. In addition to vessels contracted for, a number of vessels were bought or otherwise acquired; most of these have now been disposed of, but comparative figures of cost and sale prices are not yet available. My hon. Friend will understand the difficulty in answering that part of his question with reference to the names of the purchasers in view of the very large number of ships sold, and I regret I am not in a position to state what the present value of these ships might be.
The following are the tables referred to:
| TABLE "B." | ||
Statement showing disposal of contracts placed by Shipping Controller for construction of ships. | ||
| 260 | Ships built in U.K.) | Sold (see table A). |
| 119 | Ships built abroad | |
| 20 | Ships sunk. | |
| 18 | Ships not yet sold. | |
| 155 | Contracts transferred under agreements with Lord Inchcape, and instalments paid refunded. | |
| 120 | Contracts transferred to builders under agreements with Lord Inchcape, and instalments paid refunded. | |
| 129 | Contracts cancelled. | |
| 821 | Total. | |
Post Office
Letter Collection, Godmanchester
asked the Postmaster - General whether it is possible for him to authorise a collection of letters in the town of Godmanchester at a later hour than 6.35 p.m., in view of the size and importance of this ancient borough
I regret that it is not practicable in present circumstances to provide a later collection of letters at Godmanchester.
White City, Bristol (War Office Occupation)
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether any part of the White City site at Bristol is now ready to be handed back to the owners; and whether, in view of the demand by ex-service men for allotments and of the willingness of the owners to let this site out for that purpose, he will facilitate in every possible way at the earliest moment the release of the ground.
I have been asked to reply. As regards vacating the property I regret I can add nothing to the answer which I gave to the hon. and learned Member on the 17th February. The owners have agreed to grant the War Department a seven years' lease of the site to enable the Department to recoup itself for some part of its expenditure on the property, e.g., new-buildings and improvement of the existing ones, and draft leases are now under consideration. When the property is vacated by the War Department it will be for disposal, subject to the leases, by the Disposal Board.