§ 16 and 17. Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) the percentage increase in new factory building in Scotland and England, respectively, during 1954;
(2) what percentage of new factory building, begun in the United Kingdom during each of the years 1952 to 1954, was located in Scotland.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftAs the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. ThomsonCould the President of the Board of Trade say whether the Scottish percentage of new factory buildings is rising or falling under the present Government? Can he say whether Conservative freedom means jobs in Scotland or jobs in London, where unemployment is so much lower?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftMore and more factories are being built in Scotland.
§ Following is the Answer:
§ Compared with the previous year, the area of industrial building granted location approval showed an increase of 94 per cent. in Scotland and of 87 per cent. in England. The corresponding figures for industrial building started were 25 per cent. and 47 per cent. and for industrial building completed, a decrease of 7.6 per cent. and an increase of 25 per cent. According to the latest information, the Scottish share of industrial building begun in Great Britain was 6.9 per cent. in 1952, 7.4 per cent. in 1953 and 6.4 per cent. in 1954.