§ 1. Sir KINGSLEY WOODasked the President of the Board of Trade the steps the Government are taking generally in relation to industrial reorganisation, including the establishment of new industries in the heavy industrial areas?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. William Graham)As regards industrial reorganisation generally, I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statement which I made in Debate on the 5th November last, when I indicated the lines of policy which the Government are pursuing. I would also refer him to Command Paper 3746, issued in December last, which contains a statement of the steps which the Government are taking in regard to economic reorganisation. As regards the latter part of the question, the Government, through my Department, are in close co-operation with the efforts which are being made in certain industrial areas to attract new industrial development to those areas.
§ Sir K. WOODDoes the right hon. Gentleman propose at any time to make a statement to the House as to what has actually been achieved?
§ Mr. GRAHAMI indicated previously that no doubt, during some of our debates, either on the Estimates or on some other appropriate occasion, I shall be able to give to the House such information as is available.
§ 10. Mr. LOUIS SMITHasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the problem of industrial reorganisation which has to be faced in the near future, he can state the particular industries which, in the view of the Government, require industrial reorganization?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMIt is only in a minority of industries that substantial progress in rationalisation has been made. I fear I could not attempt to catalogue industries according to their need of reorganisation.
§ Mr. SMITHTo what specific industries did the right hon. Gentleman refer when he recently made a statement that certain industries required reorganisation?
§ Mr. GRAHAMIt is true, for example, of coal, cotton, iron and steel.