41. Mr. W. Joseph Stewartasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the percentage of insured unemployment for the borough of Sunderland is 26.1 and for the borough of South Shields 31.9; and what steps he is taking to deal with this situation?
§ The Minister of Labour (Mr. Ernest Brown)I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which was given to his similar question on 29th June, 1937. Since then the Commissioner for the Special Areas has acquired a site for a number of factories at Pallion and two tenants have already been secured.
§ Mr. LawsonDoes the right hon. Gentleman accept the figures of one in four unemployed in Sunderland and practically one in three in South Shields, and is anything being done?
§ Mr. BrownThe hon. Gentleman will surely not forget that something has been done, and that there has been provision of a 17-acre estate, for which tenants have already been found.
§ Mr. EdeDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that doing something for Sunderland is not necessarily doing something for South Shields?
§ Miss WilkinsonWill the right hon. Gentleman include them in his next survey of prosperity in this country?