19. Lieut.-Colonel MOOREasked the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements exist for co-operation between his Department and the Travel Association with regard to the question of finding factory sites for foreign firms in Great Britain; how many inquiries with regard to such sites have been dealt with during the past six months; and how many applicants have been advised to seek their requirements in Scotland?
§ 12. Mr. GOLDIEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is prepared to provide facilities to assist local authorities and owners of lands suitable for industrial development in getting into communication with foreign manufacturers desirous of erecting factories in this country?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANSteps have been taken by a number of organisations who have the requisite local knowledge, including the numerous local development associations and the railway companies, to provide facilities for the necessary communications between owners of factory sites in Great Britain and manufacturers abroad. Accordingly any Government intervention would merely duplicate these facilities and it has not been found necessary for my Department to make any arrangements in this matter with the Travel Association.
Lieut.-Colonel MOOREMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman has. communicated to British consuls abroad the information with regard to factory sites in this country so that foreign trade interests who wish to settle here may have all the facilities before making inquiries.
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI understand that a good many communications have been passing through the Overseas Trade Department. For any particulars of them, I should have to have notice.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSDoes the right hon. Gentleman think it a wise and discreet policy to invite foreigners to come and invest their money here, while— [Interruptiom.]