HC Deb 03 March 1960 vol 618 cc1414-6
34. Mr. Short

asked the President of the Board of Trade what particular steps he is going to take to provide work for unemployed furniture workers in the North-East, in jobs for which they are specially qualified.

Mr. J. Rodgers

My right hon. Friend will continue to encourage suitable industrial development in those parts of the North-East where there is the greatest need for additional jobs, whether for furniture workers or others.

Mr. Short

Will the Parliamentary Secretary bear in mind that in the last two or three years there has been a recession in furniture making in the North-East and that a number of furniture workers are out of work? This is the second occupational group which I have mentioned at Question Time today. Will the Parliamentary Secretary do his best to provide work for this specific occupational group? In all the statements that he and his right hon. Friend have made in the last few weeks about the North-East, there is not one ray of hope of any kind for them.

Mr. Rodgers

I cannot undertake to steer the industries necessary to replace the jobs that people may have lost, but we shall do our best to diversify industry in the North-East.

37 and 38. Mr. Grey

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) in view of the present high rate of unemployment and the tendency for the number to increase, what official consultations he had while on his tour to the North-East concerning the problem of bringing more industries to the area; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if he will make a statement on his tour of the North-East.

Mr. J. Rodgers

While in the North-East my right hon. Friend and I were able to visit Newcastle-on-Tyne, Jarrow, South Shields, Sunderland, Durham, the Hartlepools, Peterlee and Gateshead, as well as a number of Trading Estates and industrial sites in Durham and Northumberland. We discussed employment problems with local authorities and with employers and trade unionists. It is our intention to use existing powers, and those that will be available when the Local Employment Bill becomes law, to promote new employment by encouraging firms to expand or set up in the parts of the area suffering from high unemployment.

Mr. Grey

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there was one very bad effect of that visit because his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade implied that the North-East had not done enough to sell itself? May I remind him that there have been many attempts by local authorities in that area to improve matters, and that hon. Members representing constituencies in the North-East consider that this implication was uncalled for? Also, is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the figure for January was 48,132, an increase over December of 4,343? Has it been brought to his attention that since October last year that figure has gone up by nearly 8,000? Since these figures are becoming ghastly, what does the Parliamentary Secretary intend to do about curing this nauseating problem of unemployment?

Mr. Rodgers

First, I should like to say that my right hon. Friend had no intention of disparaging the efforts of local authorities and the North-East Industrial Development Association to sell the area. All he suggested was that perhaps more could be done than had been done, but that he was very grateful for what had been done in the past. We are aware of the serious unemployment situation in the North-East, and we in the Board of Trade are doing our best to steer industry there.

Mr. Shinwell

In view of the visit that the hon. Gentleman made to Peterlee, can he say whether he is satisfied that the facilities offered in the new town justify industrialists going there to open new industries?

Mr. Rodgers

I was very impressed with the layout of the new town and with the availability of good industrial sites. I cannot think of a better area more suited to industrial development than the new town of Peterlee.

Mr. Grey

Did the hon. Gentleman give consideration to including the Durham Exchange Area on the list?

Mr. Rodgers

Naturally we considered that, and we shall continue to give consideration to it.