§ 32. Mr. Shinwellasked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms in the County of Durham and in the area covered by the Easington Parliamentary constituency, respectively, have applied for loans under the Local Employment Act; how many loans have been granted; and what is the total amount involved.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonI assume that the right hon. Member is inquiring about assistance under Section 4 of the Local Employment Act. Twenty-five applications under this Section have been received from firms in the County of Durham, of which eight have been 1363 approved. The total amount involved is £300,000. One firm in Easington has applied for and been offered assistance. I am unable to disclose the amount offered to an individual firm.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs this the best the Minister can do? Does he not realise that this is a very poor show?
§ Mr. MacphersonNo, Sir. In point of fact, the average is almost exactly the average for the nation as a whole. It has to be realised that all kinds of applications come up and by no means are they all equally worthy of assistance.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the situation in the County of Durham and the Easington constituency is rather worse than it is in other parts of the country, and is likely to become worse?
§ Mr. MacphersonWhile that may be so —and my right hon. Friend does appreciate the particular needs of Dunham; indeed, I met a deputation from Durham the other day—I am sure the right hon. Member himself would want to see established in his constituency and Durham only industries which are likely to succeed and last and give lasting benefit to the area.
§ Mr. ChetwyndDo not these miserable figures show that the Board of Trade is not living up to the very high hopes put forward by the Government when the Act was passed, but that it is becoming more and more apparent that the Board of Trade is more anxious to turn down applications than to grant them?
§ Mr. MacphersonNo, I would not agree with that.