Sunderland

HC Deb 03 November 1959 vol 612 cc834-6

11. Mr. P. Williams

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the movement of new industries into Sunderland.

Mr. Maudling

One firm which hopes to employ 60 people immediately, rising to 100 in two years, has recently moved into the area. In addition, industrial buildings recently completed, under construction or due to be started very soon should provide additional employment for some 900 people.

Mr. Williams

Is my right hon. Friend aware that while this will be of some assistance, there is still considerable disquiet in the North-East in general, and not just in Sunderland, about the need for getting new industries into areas concerned with coalmining and shipbuilding? In view of this, will he give an assurance that the new Bill which is being introduced will give assistance to areas such as Sunderland and the North-East?

Mr. Maudling

I agree that this is a very important and urgent question, but probably the general discussion on these problems had better take place on the Second Reading of the new Bill, which I think will not be long delayed.

Mr. Jay

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance now that this area will be included among the list of areas of high unemployment to be scheduled under the new Bill?

Mr. Maudling

No. It would be quite obviously wrong for me to pick out individual areas until the whole list is published.

Mr. Jay

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us when the list will be published, because otherwise it is extremely unsatisfactory to have all these discussions without any idea of the areas?

Mr. Maudling

We have not yet got to the Second Reading of the Bill which authorises the procedure.

12. Mr. Willey

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to provide a new trading estate for Sunderland.

Mr. Maudling

None, Sir.

Mr. Willey

Will the right hon. Gentleman do something about this? Does he realise that we have had a site in the town surveyed and that there is a site just outside the town which ought to be surveyed? Does he realise that we cannot expect new industries to come to Sunderland until there is a site which is attractive to them? Is he aware that at present the Pallion Estate offers no opportunity for further expansion?

Mr. Maudling

I understand that there is still room for further expansion on the existing Pallion Estate.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Willey. Question No. 13.

Mr. Willey

Is the right hon. Gentle man aware that there is no—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I called the hon. Member to ask Question No. 13.

13. 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.

Mr. Maudling

At August, 1959, 2,452 males and 2,948 females, in total 5,400, were employed in these factories.

Mr. Willey

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is not sufficient scope on the North-Eastern Trading Estate Company's estate for the expansion required, and that this is generally conceded by his Department, which has made it clear in discussions which it has had with the bodies concerned in Sunderland? Will he, therefore, look at the need for providing further space either in a new estate or through individual sites in Sunderland? Does he also recognise that the present estate is employing far fewer than it did five or six years ago?

Mr. Maudling

In fact, employment in the existing estate is up by 330 on last year. I understand that space is still available on the existing estate. As to the provision of a further estate, we must, I think, leave open the consideration of that until we have the new Bill.

14. Mr. Willey

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the proposed new factory in Sunderland to be built for the Sixty Minute Cleaners.

Mr. Maudling

Since erection of the factory was approved in July, the firm has discussed its requirements in detail with North-Eastern Trading Estates Limited. I understand that plans and estimates have now been drawn up and the work will be put in hand as quickly as possible. I cannot yet give a starting date for construction. It is estimated that the factory when completed will provide 170 jobs, and there will also be additional employment for about 140 people in the firm's various depôts in the north-east.

Mr. Willey

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that we welcome this new factory but, at the same time, that we regard it as disgusting that the trading estate is employing fewer than it employed four or five years ago? In these circumstances, is it not essential to expedite the provision of such new factories as that about which I was given a specific assurance in June that it was proceeding? Months have gone by and unemployment has increased.

Mr. Maudling

I do not think that I can add any more to the answer given in reply to the supplementary question asked earlier.