HC Deb 07 April 1960 vol 621 cc559-61
47. Captain Orr

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the letter sent by the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Trade to 47,000 manufacturing establishments on 31st March contained no reference to Northern Ireland.

48. Mr. McMaster

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to bring facilities available in Northern Ireland to the attention of firms wishing to expand.

49. Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the President of the Board of Trade why no reference to Northern Ireland's facilities for industrial development was made in the leaflet, "Expanding Industry", issued by his Department; and whether he will at once issue a supplementary pamphlet drawing attention to these facilities.

Mr. J. Rodgers

The leaflet "Expanding Industry" was designed to describe the Board of Trade's powers under the Local Employment Act, which, as hon. Members know, applies only to Great Britain. For that reason, following the previous leaflet "Industry on the Move", it did not refer to the powers of the Northern Ireland Government under their legislation. My right hon. Friend has, however, arranged for a reference to the facilities available in Northern Ireland to be included in the reprint which will shortly be available. I would also draw attention to the arrangements for closer co-operation between the Board of Trade and the Ministry of Commerce in Northern Ireland which were announced by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 30th March.

Captain Orr

Is my hon. Friend aware that, coming on the very morning after the debate on Northern Ireland in the House, the omission caused dismay? We accept and welcome what is now said about the reprint, and my hon. and right hon. Friends will have our full forgiveness if they lose no opportunity in the future to draw attention to Northern Ireland.

Mr. McMaster

While thanking my hon. Friend for this reply, I should like to add to what my hon. and gallant Friend has said by asking for an assurance that if my hon. Friend is re-circularising those 47,000 firms he will draw their attention to the facilities available in Northern Ireland. I hope they will not simply get a duplicate of what they have already got, with a little bit added at the bottom which they may not note. Further, will my hon. Friend give the assurance that the facilities available in Northern Ireland will be given to firms in this country unless they expressly state that they are not able to extend to Northern Ireland?

Mr. Rodgers

The reprint will mention the facilities available in Northern Ireland and advise interested persons to get in touch with the Ministry of Commerce in Belfast or the Ulster Office in London.

Mr. Stratton Mills

Is it my hon. Friend's intention to recirculate this pamphlet to the 47,000 firms?

Mr. Rodgers

No. It is not our intention to recircularise the 47,000 firms, but there is a reprint of 20,000 copies in the process of being produced. They will contain this new information, and we shall, of course, draw the attention of any other industrialists to the facilities which are available under the Northern Ireland scheme.

Mr. Lipton

Would not the value of these letters and leaflets be very considerably amplified if they were also sent to South African industrialists who are a little doubtful about their own future there and might be persuaded now to come here?

Mr. Rodgers

I think that is another question.