§ 52. Mr. Wainwrightasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the lack of light industries in the Dearne Valley constituency area, he will give encouragement to manufacturers who are desirous of erecting plants by granting facilities under the Local Employment Act, 1960.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonNo, Sir. My right hon. Friend's powers under the Local Employment Act may be exercised only in those areas where a high rate of unemployment exists or is expected and is likely to persist. The Dearne Valley, I am glad to say, is not in this position. But my right hon. Friend would he willing to see some further suitable light industry in the area
§ Mr. WainwrightIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there are several hundred unemployed men and women in the Dearne Valley division? In addition. there are bus-loads of women going to work thirty to forty miles away. There is also a pool of non-registered women labour within the division. As we are very short of light industries, will he consider helping as quickly as possible several firms which want to come to the division?
§ Mr. MacphersonThere are 320 new jobs in prospect, mostly for females. My right hon. Friend would be prepared to give industrial development certificates for female-employing projects which wanted to go to the district and which could not be steered to development districts.