§ 62. Mr. Fernyhoughasked the President of the Board of Trade how many factories were built on the Bede Trading Estate, Jarrow, up to October, 1951; and how many have been built since 1951.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Mr. Donald Kaberry)Between the end of the war and October, 1951, 18 Government-financed factories, having a total area of approximately 480,000 square feet, were built on the Bede Trading Estate. Since then four extensions, totalling 12,000 square feet have been built and the building of two further extensions, totalling 38,000 square feet is about to start.
§ Mr. FernyhoughWill the hon. Gentleman see that this information is passed to the Tory Central Office in order that the next "Popular Pictorial" that it sends out, and which refers to Jarrow and the unemployment in the pre-war years having been a myth, will be a little nearer to the truth than the statement in the April issue?
Mr. H. WilsonDo not the figures show that what is happening all over the country is that Development Area policy under the present Government is becoming a dead letter, and is that why the President of the Board of Trade has repeatedly over the last three years refused to issue a White Paper, as was originally promised at the time of the Act?
§ Mr. KaberryEmployment on the Bede Trading Estate has risen since the 765 end of 1951 from 1,899 to 2,082. Since October, 1951, 14 privately financed schemes of 260,000 square feet have been built and a further six schemes totalling 300,000 square feet have been started in the Jarrow area.