§ 19. Miss Herbisonasked the President of the Board of Trade what are his proposals for 'alternative industry for the 1716 Newmains, Cleland, Harthill, Salsburgh, Shotts area and for the Caldercruix, Plains area where there have been pit closures and where further pit closures are proposed.
§ Mr. ErrollProjects already secured for North Lanarkshire and Shotts are estimated to be providing nearly 7,000 jobs, and I shall continue to encourage new industry in this area. Workers can conveniently travel from one part of the area to another, and it would be neither practicable nor desirable to try to steer industry to individual villages within it.
§ Miss HerbisonIs the Minister aware that the 7,000 jobs of which he spoke will scarcely take up the number who are already unemployed in Lanarkshire at the present time? Is he also aware that this part of Lanarkshire is going to be very severely hit by further pit closures? Is he further aware that no one has ever asked him at any time to provide separate industries in separate villages? This Question asks him about a very wide area which has already been badly hit and will be badly hit in the future. Can he finally tell me if one of these industrial sites about which we are told will be in this area?
§ Mr. ErrollI am aware of the seriousness of the problem in this area, but while there may be further pit closures in that area it is not absolutely definite that there will be. In the event of any closures taking place, I understand that the majority of the displaced miners could probably be redeployed in the area over a period. As regards an advance factory, I ask the hon. Lady to look at the announcement to be made by means of a Written Question and Answer later today.