§ 31. Mr. Ainsleyasked the President of the Board of Trade what projects have been started in the Crook area since the operation of the Local Employment Act.
§ Mr. ErrollOne project has been completed and an industrial development certificate has been given for another. Work has started on six projects in the Bishop Auckland group of employment exchange areas, within travel-to-work distance of Crook.
§ Mr. AinsleyIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in this local employment exchange area the rate of unemployment is nearly 8 per cent.? While he takes his figures from the Bishop Auckland area, the west is actually the problem area. Will he look closer into this matter, especially as it concerns the closing of the mining industry and in view of the urgent need for new industries in the Crook area?
§ Mr. ErrollI will look at what the hon. Gentleman has said, but I would remind him that we take into account prospective colliery closures.
§ Mr. PopplewellWill the right hon. Gentleman take note of the large number of Questions on the Order Paper today in connection with the growing unemployment in the North-East, having in mind the statement of a Parliamentary Secretary last year that there were about 27,000 jobs in the pipeline? In view of the growing number of unemployed in the North-East and the fact that this area is anxious to see some results from that statement about there being 27,000 jobs in the pipeline, when does the right hon. Gentleman hope that the number of jobs will outweigh the growing number of unemployed in the North-East?
§ Mr. ErrollI could not give a forecast along the lines of the last part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question. In general, I am fully aware of the concern of the North-East Coast, as is evidenced by the large number of Questions this afternoon, and we are doing all we can in the Board of Trade to bring more jobs to the North-East Coast.