15. Mr. H. Wilsonasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the maximum number employed at the Board of Trade factory in Wilson Road, Huyton, originally leased to Hosemaster and now leased to the English Electric Company, the number presently employed in that factory and his estimate of that number for the future.
§ Mr. ErrollStatistics of employment in a particular factory are confidential and cannot be disclosed.
Mr. WilsonBut does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the numbers now employed and intended to be employed fall far short of the hopes of the Board of Trade in this respect? In view of assurance given by his predecessor that this factory would be leased only for production and not for storage, what steps is the right hon. Gentleman taking to see that that assurance is being honoured?
§ Mr. ErrollI am not going to be drawn into giving any information about the level of employment, because that would be a breach of the confidential nature of the collection of the statistics.
Mr. WilsonIs not the right hon. Gentleman in this case once again showing his weakness and also his tenderness for private firms when there is Government money involved? Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that this factory, which was built many years ago with Government money, was intended to provide the maximum employment in an area of considerable unemployment? In view of the assurances that were given quite clearly and specifically in this House that it would be used for production, even if the right hon. Gentleman dare not tell us about the employment figures—which makes us suspicious about this—can he say what is being done to honour the assurance that this factory would be used for production and not for storage or for repair work?
§ Mr. ErrollI will look into the question of assurances but I do not think, from what I know of the subject, that the situation is as described by the right hon. Gentleman in his supplementary questions.