HC Deb 05 July 1955 vol 543 cc945-6
38. Mr. Slater

asked the President of the Board of Trade what form of advertisement is used by his Department in bringing to the notice of industrialists sites available on trading estates in Development Areas; and what response there has been to such form of advertisement on the Aycliffe Trading Estate for the years 1951 to 1954 in view of the fact that there is ample land available on the estate for any expansion likely to be required.

Mr. Kaberry

The Board of Trade has used the handbook "Room to Expand," articles in the Board of Trade Journal, and booklets produced by the industrial estate companies, and has also displayed exhibits at the British Industries Fair. These describe the advantages of the Development Areas and Northern Ireland in general terms and it is not possible to measure their effect with regard to a particular trading estate.

Mr. Slater

Will the Minister not agree that everything must be done to offset any desire on the part of industrialists to go back to the "red" areas away from these Development Areas, and that everything should be done to develop sites on existing available trading estates?

Mr. Kaberry

Yes, Sir.

39 and 40. Mr. Slater

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what number of new factories went to the North-East Development Area for the years 1946 to 1954; and what percentage of the total of new factory works for the United Kingdom this represents;

(2) what number of new factories went to the development areas for the years 1946 to 1954; and what percentage of the total of new industrial construction in the United Kingdom went to the development areas for those years.

Mr. Kaberry

According to the latest information available to the Board of Trade, 2,241 new industrial buildings and extensions of more than 5,000 sq. ft. were completed in the areas which are now Development Areas in the years 1946 to 1954 inclusive. This represents 33 per cent. of the total area completed in Great Britain during the same period. The comparable figures for the North-East Development Area are 634 and 10.4 per cent.