HC Deb 04 November 1937 vol 328 cc1091-2
26. Mr. Shinwell

asked the Minister of Labour how many factories are operating on the Team Valley Trading Estate; how many persons are employed in these factories; and whether the whole of the labour is recruited from the county of Durham?

Mr. E. Brown

In reply to the first and second parts of his question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Houghtonle-Spring (Mr. W. Joseph Stewart) on Tuesday, 2nd November, of which I am sending him a copy. As regards the last part of the question, I have no statistics of the areas from which the men have been drawn, but I have no doubt that the great majority of the workpeople come from the Special Areas.

Mr. Shinwell

Do not the figures presented in the answer to which the right hon. Gentleman refers indicate that the presence of the Team Valley Trading Estate will have a material effect on the employment position in the county of Durham?

Mr. Brown

I deprecate any attempt to belittle this remarkable experiment. It has had a remarkable beginning, and I believe that, as the years go on, it will have a material effect on employment in that area.

Mr. Shinwell

Is the Minister aware that there are only about 500 persons employed on that estate? Surely that can have little effect on employment?

Mr. Brown

The hon. Member knows very well that this is a very finely planned estate now in process of development. At present, there are 1,200 persons employed in the process of developing it and 550 persons in factories actually open, and the number is growing each week.

Mr. Magnay

Is the Minister aware of the old North Country saying that fools and bairns should never see things half-done?

Back to