§ 4. Mr. Jayasked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the total new factory space in square feet for which industrial development certificates were granted in Great Britain was accounted for by the London and South-Eastern Region in the first half of 1958, 1959, and 1960, respectively, and what were the corresponding percentages for the Scottish, Northern and Welsh Regions, taken together.
§ Mr. MaudlingFor schemes of over 5,000 square feet in manufacturing industry, the London and South Eastern Region's share was 20.2 per cent. in the first six months of 1958, 17.4 per cent, in 1959 and 9.7 per cent. in the first three months of 1960. Corresponding figures for Scotland, Wales and the Northern Region combined were 20.1 per cent., 29.2 per cent. and 16.2 per cent.
The extent of the industrial location control was changed by the Local Employment Act; from 1st April, 1960, the industrial building figures relate to a wider and non-manufacturing field of development. Under the new series, the proportions for the two areas for April to June, 1960, were 13.9 per cent., and 12.7 per cent. respectively.
§ Mr. JayIf I understand those figures aright, there seems to be an encouraging reduction in the share going to London and the South-East, which I hope will be continued; but will the right hon. Gentleman explain why, apparently, the figures for, roughly speaking, the development district regions have declined in the early months of 1960, as compared with 1959?
§ Mr. MaudlingIt is wrong to proceed on the basis of two or three months' figures because one might have one big project which would distort the figures. Also, I think that it would be wiser to take the figures on the basis of employment rather than factory space. Broadly 1268 speaking, no new manufacturing industry has come to the London area, and the schemes in terms of square footage which have been approved have, by and large, been extensions which could not take place elsewhere.
§ Mr. JayCan the right hon. Gentleman explain why, in the first three months of 1960, according to his figures, there was apparently a reduction in the proportion going to the development district regions? Was that accidental or deliberate?
§ Mr. MaudlingI have said that one ought not to take it on a short-term basis. If one takes it in terms of employment, which seems to be what matters, in the first three months of 1960 the figure for London and the South-East was 4.5 per cent. and for the other area mentioned it was 22.6 per cent.