§ 17. Mr. Padleyasked the President of the Board of Trade what action he pro poses to take in the case of the proposed closure of the Goldhanger Fruit Farms Canning Factory on the Bridgend Indus trial Estate, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Ogmore.
§ Mr. MaudlingI am looking into this matter and will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. PadleyWhile thanking the right hon. Gentleman for promising to look into the matter, may I ask him to bear in mind that there are special features attached to this case of the closure of a factory in a Development Area, in so far as this is the result of a take-over bid of a firm under-employed in the London area which seeks to acquire the trade name, Kingsmere, which can be seen in any of the Woolworth shops throughout the country? In so far as this take-over bid is contrary to the policy of successive Governments, will he press the matter?
§ Mr. MaudlingI will certainly look into the details, but I must point out that the Board of Trade has no power to order a firm to continue in business if it does not want to do so.