HC Deb 05 February 1953 vol 510 cc2011-2
30. Mr. J. MacLeod

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many inquiries have been made to him by firms who wish to take industry into the Highland Development Area.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

Twenty written inquiries have been received since April, 1948, about the possibility of establishing industries in the Highland Development Area.

Mr. MacLeod

How many new industries have actually been established since these areas were scheduled as Development Areas? Has my right hon. Friend any further plan in mind to encourage industry to go into these areas? Does not he agree that a complete review of the situation is now required?

Mr. Thorneycroft

Out of the 20, four, in fact, have come to the Highland Development Area since it was scheduled. One of them, however, subsequently closed down.

Mr. MacLeod

Can my right hon. Friend say how many people these three industries employ in the area and whether they are likely to become really established there?

Mr. Thorneycroft

Not without notice.

31. Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for new factories opening in the seven crofter counties he has received in the last year; and how many have opened since 1945.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

Apart from one application for an extension to existing premises, one application for an Industrial Development Certificate for factory premises was received and granted in 1952.

In reply to the second half of the Question, I would refer my noble Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) on 27th January.

Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton

Does not my right hon. Friend think it would be in the best interests of the whole United Kingdom if more of the space available in the Highlands and more of the highly intelligent labour there were used for future industrial development? Can he say what the Board of Trade are prepared to do about it?

Mr. Thorneycroft

The hon. Gentleman's question raises very wide issues of policy which, as he knows, are under consideration by the Secretary of State for Scotland. Broadly speaking, I can assure him that anything we can do to assist the basic industries in Scotland, particularly agriculture, forestry, and fishing, will certainly be done. I do take the opportunity in the Board of Trade of drawing the attention of industrialists to possibilities of development in the Highland areas.