§ 17. Miss Wilkinsonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the great anxiety felt in the town, he can now give any report as to the progress of work schemes for Jarrow?
Mr. StanleyI am happy to say that arrangements have been concluded, subject to the settlement of certain details, for the formation of a new company to build and operate a plant for the manufacture and rolling of steel at Jarrow. The conclusion of this scheme has been made possible by the agreement of the Government to provide loan money from the fund created under Section 6 of the Special Areas {Amendment) Act, 1937, and by the participation of the Bankers' Industrial Development Company, the Nuffield Trustees and the Consett Iron Company. The Commissioner for the Special Areas has agreed to take steps to secure a site and to provide financial assistance under Section 3 of the Act. It is proposed that the capital of the company should be£1,000,000, and that the chairman should be Mr. C. Bruce Gardner.
§ Miss WilkinsonWhile thanking the right hon. Gentleman for that reply, which will give great satisfaction and hope to our very distressed town, may I ask whether the site to which he alluded in his reply is the Palmer's Yard site?
Mr. StanleyI would prefer not to answer any further questions on details at the moment. If I may, I will let the hon. Lady know when she may put down a further question on that or on a similar subject.
§ Mr. MacquistenMay we trust that the Government are not charging 5 per cent., as they are charging to the farmers?
§ Mr. LawsonCan the right hon. Gentleman give an estimate of the number of men who will be employed?
Mr. StanleyIt is very difficult to estimate the number that will eventually be employed, but certainly several hundreds.