§ 31. Mr. Jayasked the President of the Board of Trade in what part of Development Areas the Government are now willing to build Government-financed factories.
§ Sir D. EcclesDundee, Greenock, North Lanarkshire, West South Wales, North East Lancashire and Merseyside.
§ Mr. JayMay we take it that in other parts of the Development Areas the Government are not willing to build Government-financed factories?
§ Sir D. EcclesIt depends upon the state of unemployment in those areas. We also have the Development Commission which is building factories in other areas.
§ Mr. JayMay we be clear? The President of the Board of Trade has given a list of parts of Development Areas in which the Government are willing to build Government-financed factories. Does that mean that they are not willing to build factories in other parts of Development Areas?
§ Sir D. EcclesFor the time being we think that these are the most needy places. It is a great mistake to try to spread the butter too thinly.
§ Mr. HamiltonCan the right hon. Gentleman explain the consistency of this Answer, and the Answers to two previous Questions, with the announcement two days ago made by the Secretary of State for Scotland that he is giving the Glenrothes Development Corporation permission to build five advance factories in 1444 Glenrothes? We are not complaining about that, but is the right hon. Gentleman aware that we are not so parochial as to deny the desirability of building further advance factories in other parts of the country, since the Government have evidently established the principle by granting permission to this development corporation to build five factories in Glenrothes?
§ Sir D. EcclesIt is a different organisation which is building the factories to which the hon. Gentleman refers. The Development Commission also has powers to build factories in North-West Wales, the crofting counties in Scotland, and in Buckie and Peterhead.