HC Deb 25 April 1944 vol 399 cc602-3
10. Sir Henry Morris-Jones

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any indication to owners of industrial buildings and plant in North Wales which have been requisitioned by the Government as to their position after the defeat of Germany, particularly where work of a civilian nature only is being undertaken therein, as it is important for their future plans to know when these buildings will be 'released.

4. Mr. Wootton-Davies

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the fact that firms concentrated out of activity as a result of economy in respect of labour and factory space, are to have a right to re-establishment after the war, the same right will be accorded to those commercial or trading organisations whose existence has been terminated by official requisitioning of their premises.

Mr. Dalton

Much must depend upon the progress of the war, not only in Europe but also in the Far East, and it is not possible at present to foresee the conditions under which the requisitioned premises referred to by my hon. Friends will be released for peace-time purposes.

Sir H. Morris-Jones

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that the companies which have taken over these premises, with Government sanction, have their own factories and equipment intact in London, and does he realise the hardship likely to occur to these North Wales business concerns through uncertainty as to when their premises will be available to them?

Mr. Dalton

I am sure my hon. Friend realises that it is very difficult to make a hard-and-fast statement at this stage of the war. What we aim at doing, is to get production started up again as quickly as we can, having regard to all the circumstances.

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