HC Deb 07 June 1951 vol 488 cc1200-1
13. Mr. John Arbuthnot

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department are taking to bring new industry to Dover.

The President of the Board of Trade (Sir Hartley Shawcross)

By the establishment of new concerns and the expansion of existing firms, over 1,300 new jobs have been created in Dover and on the industrial estate at Richborough since 1945. My Department will continue to draw the attention of industrialists wishing to establish new projects to the possibilities of this part of the country.

Mr. Arbuthnot

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman bear in mind that his efforts to bring fresh industry to Dover are being stultified from the employment point of view by the action of his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War in removing the Returned Stores Group from Dover? Will he make representations to his right hon. Friend about this?

Sir H. Shawcross

I will certainly look into the matter, but I should not like it to be thought that our efforts were being stultified. The average percentage of unemployment in Dover in April of this year was 2.9; in the years 1934–38, it was 12.3.