§ 8. Mr. Frederick Peartasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can yet say what change is to be made in the policy of priorities for the Development Areas.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftI am anxious that the Development Areas should make their maximum contribution to the urgent needs of production for defence and exports, and we shall continue existing arrangements whenever they will assist the Areas to attain this objective.
§ Mr. PeartDo I take it that the recent announcement of a standstill on new building will not affect new factory buildings in the Development Areas, and also that new factories will get adequate supplies of materials, as they did when the previous Government were in office?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe priorities will be used in the context of the policy which I have just enunciated, namely, the furtherance of the defence programme and exports.
§ Mr. PeartDo I take it that factory building will not be cut, but will continue, as it did under the last Government?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftEvery case will, of course, be considered upon its merits, and factory building which is calculated to improve the export position of the country will be furthered. So far as I am concerned, if defence contracts can be steered in the direction of the Development Areas, I shall certainly do my best to see that that is done.
§ Mr. A. WoodburnIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, during the period of the last Government, we were unsuccessful in getting private enterprise to take advantage of the facilities offered by his Department in the Development Area of the Highlands, and that, as this is not a place where labour can be diverted to anything else, will he do his best to see that private enterprise does make use of these facilities?
§ Mr. Frederick LeeMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will be careful when he speaks of trying to steer rearmament contracts into the Development Areas, because if he concentrates upon that, when the rearmament work is finished, it may well be that there will be no work for these people in the Development Areas?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftWhat I said was that I will endeavour, as far as possible, to steer the defence contracts in the direction of the Development Areas.