§ 48. Mr. Boydenasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the unemployment figures for the local employment offices of Bishop Auckland, Crook, Spennymoor, Shildon, and Barnard Castle, at the last count on 15th February, were worse in almost every particular compared with 7th December, 1959, and that unemployment amongst boys has more than doubled; and how many industrial development certificates have been issued for factory expansion in these areas since 7th December.
§ Mr. J. RodgersI am aware that the situation in the Bishop Auckland district —Which includes Crook, Spennymoor and Shildon—has deteriorated, and the hon. Member will be aware that the district is included in the list of development districts announced last month. The position in Barnard Castle, I am glad to say, is not so serious. Two industrial development certificates have been issued in the Bishop Auckland district since 7th December.
§ Mr. BoydenDoes the Minister think that this is good enough? Has he not taken any positive steps to approach firms with big offices in London to see whether under the new arrangements they might be induced to go to this area?
§ Mr. RodgersWe are continually seeing firms in London in an attempt to steer them to development districts, and we have recently issued two I.D.C.s, one for Spennymoor and one for Crook, which will give employment for an additional 500 people.
§ Mr. BoydenHave any steps been taken in regard to offices of private businesses? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the failure of the Government to move their own offices to Durham is yet another sore point in the North-East?
§ Mr. RodgersWe spend a great deal of our time at the Board of Trade in interviewing private industrialists, but the matter of offices is a different question.