§ 51. Mr. STOREYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to act upon the recommendations of the Commissioner for the Special Areas as to the provision of finance for new and developing industries in the Special Areas?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Wallsend (Miss Ward).
§ Mr. STOREYDoes not the answer mean that the Government have been considering this matter since last July? Is it not time that they took a decision?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINMy hon. Friend may safely assume that the length of time that has been consumed in consideration is some measure of the difficulty of the matter.
§ 63. Mr. BATEYasked the Minister of Labour whether any further steps are to be taken to provide employment in the distressed areas, in view of the fact that the policy of the Commissioner for the Special Areas has proved a failure?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Mr. Ernest Brown)The measures that are being taken by the Government to assist the Special Areas as discussed in the House on 2nd March, prove conclusively that the policy of the Commissioner for the Special Areas has not proved a failure. On the contrary, it is being pressed forward with increasing success.
§ Mr. BATEYAre we to understand that the Government do not propose to take any further steps? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that when the Commissioner was appointed the index figure of unemployment was 24 and that the figure for last month was 34? Is that a success?
§ Mr. BATEYAre we to understand that the Government are not going to do anything more than they are doing at the present time, which is not enough?
§ 64. Mr. BATEYasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Bacon Development Board is still refusing to allow a bacon factory to be erected in Sunderland, with pig farms, in one of the most distressed districts in the county of Durham; and whether, in view of the urgent need for new industries in that district, he will inquire into the matter?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Ramsbotham)Applications for producers' licences under the Bacon Development Scheme in respect of 1936 have already been dealt with, and the application for a licence in this case has been refused. Applications in respect of 1937 will fall to be considered shortly. The scheme provides that any person desirous of producing bacon who is aggrieved by any act or omission of the Bacon Development Board may refer the matter to arbitration. The applicant in this case has not so far exercised his right to go to arbitration. My right hon. Friend is aware of the facts of this case and does not consider that any further inquiry on his part is needed. Neither the applicant nor anybody else is debarred from starting a pig farm in any district.
§ Mr. BATEYIs the hon. Gentleman not aware that there is a need for new industries in this distressed area and that here is a new industry which the Bacon Development Board is preventing from being started? Why cannot it be started?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMIn this particular case, the aggrieved party can go to arbitration, but he has not yet done so.
§ Mr. H. G. WILLIAMSWhy should not anybody start a bacon factory wherever he likes?