§ 21. Lieut.-Colonel MOOREasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will ask the Scottish branch of the Travel and Industrial Development Association of Great Britain and Ireland to consider the reasons why, during the past three years, 88 factories in Scotland have been closed down, whilst only 53 new factories have been started; and whether he will consider arranging for a special grant to be made to the Scottish branch of this association to enable it to undertake remedial propaganda or action?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Sir Godfrey Collins)The matters referred to in the first part of the question are, I understand, receiving the consideration of the Scottish National Development Council. As regards the second part, my hon. and gallant Friend will observe from the reply to a question by the hon. Member for Kilmarnock (Mr. K. Lindsay) on the 17th April, of which I am sending him a copy, that substantial grants have been made to that body by the Commissioner for the Special Areas in Scotland.
§ Lieut.-Colonel MOOREIs my right hon. Friend aware that these grants are very inadequate for the purpose in view, and that even in the Irish Free State the grants given by the Government for the purpose of bringing prosperity back to that country are substantially greater than those given in Scotland?
§ Sir G. COLLINSThe authorities concerned did consider that the grants are inadequate, but at the present time they are endeavouring to get funds from other quarters. I cannot carry the matter any further than that.