Labour Confirms Plans for Renationalization
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THE Labour Party's annual conference at Scarborough in October will I be asked to ratify the party's decision to renationalize road haulage when they come back to power. This intention is reiterated in "Plan for Progress," published last Sunday. It sets out Labour's policy for Britain's economic expansion.
"In the steel and road haulage industries public ownership will he re-introduced because the case for national ownership is, on its merits, overwhelming," it says.
This policy statement emphasizes the urgent need for hauliers to subscribe to the fund which the Road Haulage Association are promoting to safeguard the interests of free-enterprise operators. They aim to collect £100,000 from members, and £20,000 has been allocated front headquarter's funds.
It is understood that only a small proportion of the 17,000 members has so far responded to the appeal, but those who have done so have been generous. Reminders to those who have not subscribed are now being sent out.
C Licences Ignored Plan for Progress -• makes no refermce to the further restriction of C Beeniees. As reported on page 840, Mr. Ernest Davies, one of the Socialist■Patay's transport specialists, said in the House of Commons last week that the growth of private-transport, including C-licence fleets, could not be hafted.
There is also no reference to passenger t ransport.
The Labour policy document criticizes the motor industry by implication, and the present Government directly. • "Building up exports is a basic condition for continuing home expansion," says the statement. "The Government must bear the major responsibility for the failure to bring home to British industry this fact. The motor industry is a classic example of their failure.
Fall in Exports
"In 1951, nearly three-quarters of the motor vehicles produced in this country were exported. Between 1951 and 1955, with the tacit encouragement of the Government, whilst sales to the home market trebled, exports did not increase at all and fell to one-third of total production. The motor industry's failure to expand exports contributed to the balance-of-payments crisis in 1955."
The booklet says that retail price maintenance will be reviewed in the light of experience.
The present Hire Purchase Acts and the financing of hire-purchase will.,also be reviewed. Where necessary, amending legislation will be introduced. The statement speaks of "exorbitant interest rates." and is highly critical of hire-purchase contracts.