HC Deb 06 November 1958 vol 594 cc1090-2
22. Mr. Willey

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many people, men and women, respectively, were employed in the factories administered by the North-Eastern Trading Estates Limited on the latest available date.

Sir D. Eccles

At the end of September, 1958, 21,638 men and boys and 28,973 women and girls, making a total of 50,611, were employed in these factories.

Mr. Willey

Is the President of the Board of Trade aware that while we appreciate that the Government have many other anxieties, this continued fall in employment, particularly among men, in these Government factories is causing concern and that we in the North-East feel that the Government are quite indifferent to the interests of the North-East Development Area?

Sir D. Eccles

I assure the hon. Member that we are not indifferent to the North-East area and that we are glad to see that in the area as a whole there is a high rate of employment.

Mr. Chetwynd

Is the President of the Board of Trade aware, however, that there are still three factories on Tees-side which have been standing empty for a long time and that there seems to be great complacency about trying to find tenants for them?

Sir D. Eccles

We are trying to find tenants for them.

Mr. Popplewell

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that certain firms are leaving the North-East and coming back south again and that a retraction is taking place? Will he carefully watch developments in that part of the country, which at the moment appears to be rather neglected?

Sir D. Eccles

Yes, I will. When I was in the Lowlands of Scotland the other day, it was complained to me that a Scottish firm was leaving the Lowlands and going to the North-East Coast.

23. Mr. Willey

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many people, men and women, respectively, were employed in the factories, in Sunderland, administered by the North-Eastern Trading Estates Limited on the latest available date.

Sir D. Eccles

At the end of September, 1958, 2,252 men and boys and 2,796 women and girls, making a total of 5,048, were employed in these factories.

Mr. Willey

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that these figures are also disturbing? Has he seen the suggestion made by the Financial Times that, in view of the prospects for shipbuilding, the Government ought now to consider their Development Area policy regarding the shipbuilding areas? Will the President of the Board of Trade see that this is instigated immediately?

Sir D. Eccles

The figures are, in fact, a decrease of fourteen over the last four months—more or less stable. On the question whether the outlook for shipbuilding justifies the action proposed in the newspaper quoted by the hon. Member, I shall have to think about that.