§ 25. Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage factory space built on the industrial estates of the Scottish Development Area since 1945 has been built by 1166 Government finance for renting to industrialists.
§ Sir D. Eccles100 per cent. as far as the properties administered by Scottish Industrial Estates Ltd. are concerned.
§ Mr. ThomsonIs the Minister aware that that is a most remarkable Answer? Is he aware that the Government have stopped completely, or almost completely, the building of Government-financed factories to rent to industrialists? Does not this mean that his decision is a most grave blow to Scottish prosperity?
§ Sir D. EcclesIt is the correct Answer to the Question. At the moment there are under construction 370,000 square feet of factory space for rental and 270,000 square feet on amortisation terms.
Mr. H. WilsonAs the right hon. Gentleman's predecessor told us last year that there was no change whatever in the Government's policy in relation to Development Areas, which we much doubted at the time, would the right hon. Gentleman, in the light of the evidence just produced, reconsider his predecessor's decision and finally bring to the House a White Paper on the whole working of Development Area policy, which was promised by him some three or four years ago and which we still have not received?
§ Sir D. EcclesI will consider that.
§ Mr. ThomsonIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply to this Question and the previous Question, No. 24, I desire to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.