§ 24. Mr. Boydenasked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to relieve general unemployment and also provide a reasonable choice of occupation for juveniles in such villages as Cockfield, Woodlands, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Eggleston, Stairdrop, Copley and Butterknowle in the Bishop Auckland constituency.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonMy right hon. Friend would be glad to see suitable further employment provided in all these villages. In those of them which are in the Bishop Auckland development disstrict the facilities of the Local Employment Act are available.
§ Mr. BoydenHow many factory sites in these villages, or within two miles of them, are known to the hon. Gentleman's Department? Since the passing of the Local Employment Act, how many industrialists have been taken to any of these places?
§ Mr. MacphersonI should require notice of both those rather particular questions.
§ Mr. BoydenIs not that a comment on the lack of energy of the Board of Trade? There is a serious problem for nearly all these villages, yet the Parliamentary Secretary does not seem to know what the facts are. Will he instruct his Department at least to investigate the position?
§ Mr. MacphersonThe records for which the hon. Gentleman is asking would need some compiling. I did not think it necessary to take them out to answer his Question, but if he asks, I will try to get him the information.
Mr. LeeWill not the Parliamentary Secretary agree that, according to his Answer, we are spending a lot of money under the Local Employment Act and we are now to spend more public money, through the payroll tax, to ensure that the work of the Act is not effective? Will the hon. Gentleman look into that?
§ Mr. MacphersonI shall certainly consult my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.