§ 5. Mr. Collickasked the President of the Board of Trade how many Government-financed factories or extensions of over 1,000 square feet have been built in the Development Areas since 1952; and the number of new factories and extensions built in other areas in the same period.
§ Mr. H. StraussIn Development Areas, according to the latest information available, 94 factories and extensions of 1,000 square feet or more financed by the Board of Trade under the Distribution of Industry Acts were completed between the beginning of 1952 and the end of May, 1954. Figures are not readily available of factories financed wholly or partly by other Government Departments.
In other areas, during the same period, 2,315 new factories and extensions of over 5,000 square feet were completed. No figures are available of factory building below 5,000 square feet in these areas.
§ Mr. CollickDoes the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that even on the figures which he has given, far too great a proportion of new factory buildings is going up in non-development areas, at the same time as his right hon. Friend refuses permission to Birkenhead to build one new factory? Will the Minister not do something to reverse the tendency which his figures disclose?
§ Mr. StraussIf the hon. Member studies the figures, he will find that we cannot make the direct comparison which he seeks to make. The answer contained in the first part of the reply does not include buildings built in the Development Areas by private enterprise.
§ Mr. CollickSurely the Parliamentary Secretary must agree that quite apart from the figures for private enterprise in Development Areas, the figures that he has quoted for the other areas show that far too great a proportion of new factory buildings is going up in non-Development Areas.
§ Mr. StraussThe figures are not susceptible of that direct comparison because those relating to other areas refer to all buildings, but those for the Development Areas refer to only a certain number of Government-financed buildings.