§ 47. Mr. TINKERasked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the appointment of a Minister whose purpose will be to look ahead and examine the probabilities of areas becoming depressed through the closing down of works, so that he will be in a position to advise the Government what steps should be taken to prevent distress and unemployment?
§ The PRIME MINISTERQuestions of the kind which the hon. Member has in mind may affect a number of Government Departments, and also concern local interests. I doubt whether it would conduce to the object which he presumably has in view to attempt to make a single Minister responsible for considering them.
§ Mr. TINKERIs it not well to have someone looking forward and getting ready for this kind of thing rather than have distress and the Special Area business afterwards?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI quite agree with the hon. Member that it is an important question, but I do not think the need for decision is imminent. The conditions of the world are changing so fast that it is very difficult to know what the exact circumstances will be when the fall in trade ultimately comes. Of course, every Government must have these matters in mind.
§ Mr. SHINWELLAs the matter is urgent and the Minister of Labour has too much work to do, would it not be desirable to ask some other member of the Government to tackle the job?
§ Sir RONALD ROSSWould it not be more pertinent for the next Socialist Government to have such a Minister?