HC Deb 14 May 1959 vol 605 cc1414-6
31. Captain Pilkington

the President of the Board of Trade how many factory building projects and extensions were authorised from 1946 to 1951 and from 1951 to 1958, respectively.

Mr. J. Rodgers

Nine thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven projects in the years 1946 to 1951 inclusive, and 16,095 projects in the years 1952 to 1958.

Captain Pilkington

Does my hon. Friend not agree that this is another example of Tory success compared with Socialist failure?

Mr. Rodgers

I entirely agree with my hon. and gallant Friend.

Mr. D. Jones

Could the hon. Gentleman give the respective values of the two totals?

Mr. Rodgers

I do not have the figure but I can give the square footage. In 1946–51 it was 243.5 million sq. ft. In 1952–58 it was 4076 million sq. ft.

32. Mr. Gower

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new factory projects and extensions, respectively, were authorised in Wales between November, 1951, and the latest convenient date; and what were the comparable figures between 1945 and October, 1951.

Mr. J. Rodgers

Five hundred and seventy new factories and extensions of over 5,000 sq. ft. from November, 1951 to end-March. 1959, and 566 from 1945 to October, 1951: of these, 151 and 203 respectively were new buildings on new sites.

Mr. Gower

Am I right in saying that in terms of creation of new employment, some of the most impressive authorisations have occurred quite recently?

Mr. Rodgers

That is a statement of fact.

Mr. G. Thomas

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that many of these new factories are now no longer employing people and that our anxiety is to see these factories fully employed? If he can help in that way we will be grateful.

Mr. Rodgers

We certainly want to do all we can to stimulate employment everywhere.

Mr. S. Silverman

To complete the statistics and present a more useful picture, can the Parliamentary Secretary say how many factories have gone out of production in the same period?

Mr. Rodgers

If the hon. Gentleman would like to put down a Question on that topic I will try to answer it.

36. Mr. Ross

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new projects were started in Development Areas in Ayrshire in 1958;and how many new jobs were thus created.

Mr. J. Rodgers

Two, which should provide approximately 180 new jobs.

Mr. Ross

This is fantastic. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the Government should be in no way surprised that unemployment is serious in this area of Ayrshire, as much of it arises from decisions taken departmentally by the Government in respect of establishments under their control? It is not good enough for the President of the Board of Trade to go round the country and round the world dropping bricks when he should be building factories in Ayrshire to cope with this unemployment, which is created by the Government themselves. Only two projects and 180 jobs—shocking !

41. Mr. Willey

asked the President of the Board of Trade what new Government-financed factory building schemes, including extensions, in Sunderland have been approved in 1959.

Mr. J. Rodgers

None, Sir.

Mr. Willey

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this is very discouraging to us in Sunderland? Will he undertake to visit Sunderland during the Whitsun Recess to see what things are like there?

Mr. Rodgers

I cannot undertake to visit it during the Whitsun Recess, but I will certainly try to go in the near future.