§ 36. Mr. Urwinasked the Minister of Technology what proposals he has for the development of the electronics industry in the Northern Region.
§ Dr. BrayI am taking every opportunity for promoting the development of the electronics industry in the Northern Region, as in other development areas. Employment in telecommunications, radio, and electronics in the Northern Region increased from 17,000 in 1964 to 22,300 in 1966, and is expected to increase as a result of the rationalisation of G.E.C./A.E.I. telecommunications activities. Four development schemes were approved last year which are expected by the applicants to lead to 1,500 new jobs.
§ Mr. UrwinThe House will be greatly encouraged by my hon. Friend's reply. I realise that he is fully aware of the need for an expanding electronics industry in the Northern Region, but may I request him to move even faster to achieve this objective?
§ Mr. LubbockIs the Minister aware that, although we welcome the evening out of employment throughout the regions of this country by creating new industry in the North-East and the other development regions, we cannot help deploring the way in which the closure of the G.E.C.-A.E.I. factory at Woolwich has been handled; in particular, the absence of any consultations with the trade unions concerned? Will he ensure, before any final decisions are made, that the trade unions are brought into the picture and that adequate arrangements are made for the retraining and making of redundancy payments to the workers who have been displaced?
§ Dr. BrayThis is a somewhat different question. The question of redundancy is a matter of concern wherever it takes place.
§ 37. Mr. Urwinasked the Minister of Technology when he intends to establish a research station in the Northern Region.
§ Dr. BrayThere are no plans at the moment for establishing a new research station. If another is required the claims of development areas, including the Northern Region, would be given special consideration.
§ Mr. UrwinIs my hon. Friend aware that there is an extremely inequitable distribution of research facilities throughout the country? The Northern Region is singularly badly off in this respect. May I urge him to give further consideration to this matter? If we are to have expanding economy in the Northern Region it is essential that it should have more research facilities.
§ Dr. BrayAs my hon. Friend knows, we inherited a very uneven distribution of research activity. Furthermore, the pattern was not well organised in relation to its function. While we are tidying up the research organisation of this country it is unlikely that we shall be able to establish many new research establishments, but I assure my hon. Friend the development areas will be given full consideration.
§ Mr. David PriceWould the hon. Gentleman not agree that the largest private commercial industrial research centre is in the Northern Region?