SPECIAL AREAS. (Hansard, 5 March 1936)

HC Deb 05 March 1936 vol 309 cc1534-8 1534

§ 9. Mr. T. WILLIAMS
asked the Minister of Labour how many districts have recently been included in the Special Areas category, with the names?

§ Mr. E. BROWN
No additions have been made to the special areas, which, as the hon. Member is aware, are defined in the First Schedule to the Special Areas (Development and Improvement) Act, 1934, and cannot be altered without legislation. I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the additions which have recently been made to the schedule of areas to which a preference is given, other things being equal, in the allocation of Government contracts. As the list is very long, I will, if I may, publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a copy of the schedule, which will show all the areas to which the preference is applied and indicate the recent additions.

§ Mr. WILLIAMS
Would the right hon. Gentleman tell us what qualification is required in order that an area may be placed in that category?

§ Mr. BROWN
Perhaps the hon. Member will put that question down, when I will give him a specific answer.

§ Mr. LOUIS SMITH
Will the Minister, in giving this matter further consideration, bear in mind the fact that, although the City of Sheffield has very many fewer unemployed at the moment than it had a year or two ago, there are still over 30,000 people there who are unemployed?

§ Mr. MARSHALL
Would the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to say what percentage of unemployment an area has to have before it can be regarded as qualified for special treatment?

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§ Mr. BROWN
I have already asked the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams to put that question down, when I Williams) to put that questions down, when I will give a specific answer.

§ Following is the list of areas

§ List of Areas to which a preference is given (Other things being equal) in placing Government Contracts.

§ Towns marked ^* are Special Areas.

§ Towns in heavy type were added to the Schedule as from 15th February, 1936.

SCOTLAND.
^*Airdrie.	^*Johnstone.
^*Alexandria.	^*Kilbirnie.
Annan.	^*Kilmarnock.
Anstruther.	^*Kilwinning.
Arbroath.	Kinross.
^*Ardrossan.	^*Kirkintilloch.
Banff.	^*Lanark.
Barrhead.	^*Larkhall.
^*Bathgate.	Leith.
Beauly.	Lerwick.
Bo'ness.	^*Lesmahagow.
^*Bowling.	^*Linlithgow.
^*Broxburn.	Maybole.
Buckie.	Montrose.
^*Cambuslang.	^*Motherwell.
Campbeltown.	Nairn.
^*Carluke.	^*Newmilns.
Catrine.	Oban.
^*Clydebank.	^*Paisley.
^*Coatbridge.	Peterhead.
Cullen.	Port Charlotte.
^*Dalry.	^*Port Glasgow.
^* Dumbarton.	Portsoy.
Dunbar.	^*Renfrew.
Dundee.	Rothes.
^*East Calder.	Rothesay.
^*East Kilbride.	^*Rutherglen.
Fortrose.	^*Shotts.
Fraserburgh.	South Queensferry.
Glasgow.	^*Stovenston.
Grantown-on-Spey.	^*Stewarton.
^*Greenock.	^*Stornoway.
^*Hamilton.	^*Strathaven.
^*Helensburgh.	Tain.
Inverbervie.	Thurso.
Invergordon.	^*Uddingston.
Inverkeithing.	^*West Calder.
Inverness.	Wick.
^*Irvine.	^*Wishaw.

WALES.
^*Aberdare.	^*Brynmawr.
Abergavenny.	Buckley.
Abergele.	Builth Wells.
^*Aberkenfig.	Burryport.
^*Abertillery.	Caernarvon.
Aberystwyth.	^*Caerphilly.
Amlwch.	Caldicott.
^*Bargoed.	^*Cardiff and Bute Docks.
^*Barry.	Cardigan.
Beaumaris.	Chepstow.
^*Blaina.	Conway.
^*Blackwood.	Corwen.
^*Blaenavon.	^*Crickhowell.
Brecon.	^*Crumlin.
^*Bridgend.	^*Cymmer.
Brymbo.	Denbigh.

1536

^*Dowlais.	^*Pembroke Dock.
^*Ebbw Vale.	^*Penarth.
^*Ferndale.	Penygroes.
Fishguard.	Pontardawe.
Garnant.	Pontardulais.
Gorseinon.	^*Pontlottyn.
Harlech.	^*Pontnewydd.
Haverfordwest.	^*Pontyclun.
Hay.	^*Pontycymmer.
Holyhead.	^*Pontypool.
Holywell.	^*Pontypridd.
Kidwelly.	^*Porth.
Knighton.	Porthcawl.
Lampeter.	Portmadoc.
Llandilo.	^*Port Talbot
Llandyssul.	Pwllheli.
Llanelly.	^*Resolven.
Llangefni.	Rhosllanerchrugog.
Llangollen.	^*Risca.
Llanidloes.	^*Swansea and Docks.
^*Llantwit Major.	^*Taffs Wells.
^*Maesteg.	Tenby.
^*Merthyr Tydfil.	^*Tonypandy.
Milford Haven.	^*Tonyrefail
Mold.	Towyn.
Monmouth.	^*Tredegar.
Morriston.	^*Treharris.
Mountain Ash.	^*Treorchy.
Mumbles.	^*Usk.
^*Neath.	Welsbpool.
^*Newport and Docks.	Wrexham.
Newtown.	Ystalyfera.
^*Ogmore Vale.

NORTH WESTERN DIVISION.
Accrington.	Hindley.
^* Alston.	^*Keswick.
Ashton-under-Lyne.	Kirkham.
^*Aspatria.	Leigh.
Bacup.	Liverpool Area.
Birkenhead.	Longton.
Blackburn.	^*Mary port.
Bolton.	^*Millom.
Burnley.	Mossley.
Bury.	Nelson.
Chadderton.	Oldham.
Chorley.	Ormskirk.
^*Cleator Moor.	Padiham.
Clitheroe.	Preston.
^*Cockermouth.	Prestwich.
Colne and Barnoldswiok.	St. Helens.
Congleton.	^*Silloth.
^*Coniston.	Stalybridge.
Dalton.	Standish.
Darwen.	Ulverston.
Farnworth.	Upholland.
Glossop.	Wailasey.
Golborne.	Westhoughton.
Great Harwood.	White haven.
Hadfield.	Whitworth.
^*Haltwhistle.	Wigan.
^*Harrington.	^*Wigton.
Haslingden.	^*Workington.
Heywood.

NORTH EASTERN DIVISION.
Askern.	^*Chopwell.
^*Barnard Castle.	^*Cockfield.
Barnsley.	^*Consett.
Batley.	^*Crook.
^*Birtley.	Dronfield.
^*Bishop Auckland.	^*Dunston-on-Tyne.
^*Blaydon-on-Tyne.	^*Durham.
Castleford.	^*East Boldon.
^*Chester-le-Street.	^*Elswick.

1537

^*Felling-on-Tyne.	Pontefract.
^*Gainford.	^*Prudhoe.
Gainsborough.	Rotherham.
^*Gateshead.	Saltburn.
Goole.	^*Seaham Harbour.
Guisborough.	^*Sedgefield.
^*Hartlepool.	^*Shildon.
^* Haswoll.	^*Shiremoor.
^*Heaton.	Skelmanthorpe.
Helmsley.	South Kirkby.
Hexham.	^*South Shields.
^*Horden.	^*Southwick-on-Wear.
^*Houghton-le-Spring.	^*Spennymoor.
Hoyland.	^*Stanhope.
^*Jarrow and Hobburn.	^*Stanley.
Knottingley.	Stockton and Thornaby.
^*Lanchester.	Stokesley.
Loftus.	^*Sunderland.
Mexborough.	Thirsk.
Middlesbrough.	^*Walker-on-Tyne.
^*Middleton-in-Teesdale.	^*Wallsend.
^*Newburn.	^*Washington Station.
^*Newcastle-on-Tyne.	^*West Hartlepool.
Normanton.	Whitby.
^* North Shields.	Whitley Bay.
Ossett.	^*Willington Quay.
^*Pallion.	^*Wingate.
Penistone.	Withernsea.
Pickering.	^*Wolsingham.

MIDLANDS DIVISION.
Arnold.	Ledbury.
Audley.	Ludlow.
Kiddulph.	Newcastle- under-Lyne.
Bishops Castle.	Ratby.
Hucknall.	Ross.
Kidsgrove.	Shepshed.
Ironbridge.	Wellington.

SOUTH WESTERN DIVISION.
Bodmin.	Perranporth.
Cinderford.	Portland.
Clutton.	Redruth.
Coleford.	St. Columb.
Fowey.	St. Just.
Hayle.	Torpoint.
Newnham.

SOUTH EASTERN DIVISION.
Acle.	Walsham-le-Willows.
Great Yarmouth.	Wells.
Pitsea.

§ 17. Mr. BURKE
asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider putting Burnley on the same footing as those places in the distressed areas to which Government, contracts are given?

§ Mr. BROWN
Burnley is already in-eluded in the schedule of areas to which a preference is given, other things being equal, in the allocation of Government contracts.

§ Mr. BURKE
Can the Minister define exactly what is meant by a Special Area?

§ Mr. BROWN
I have already said that, if a question is put down, I will give a reply.

1538

§ Mr. DENMAN
Is Leeds included in the schedule?

§ Mr. BROWN
My hon. Friend will find that in the OFFICIAL REPORT to-morrow.