HC Deb 26 July 1962 vol 663 cc1724-5
Q5. Miss Herbison

asked the Prime Minister 'in view of the dereliction which has already taken place in parts of the Scottish coalfield, and the prospects of further deterioration resulting from the proposed pit closures, if he will take steps to ensure that no further expansion of industrial and office development takes place in the London and South-East region, and the Midlands region until Scottish unemployment is reduced to the level of the United Kingdom; and if he will set up publicly-owned industries in the worst hit areas.

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. We are already using to the full our powers under the Local Employment Act to secure that as many of the new industrial projects as possible go to the areas of greatest need. No industrial development is approved in the Midlands or South-East which might reasonably be undertaken in Scotland. Office building, which presents difficult problems, is not similarly controlled.

Miss Herbison

Surely the right hon. Gentleman must be aware that the use of powers under the Local Employment Act is not solving the problem with which we are faced in Scotland? Surely he must also be aware that our very high degree of unemployment is indeed drastic, and that it is only by drastic measures that the Government can ever hope to solve Scotland's problems? Is he not ready to use measures which have not been used before in order to bring work and hope to Scotland?

The Prime Minister

We have done a great deal and hope to do more. In the last two years we have put into projects in Scotland, under the Local Employment Act, £43 million of public money which is estimated to be producing nearly 32,000 new jobs. In addition, there are another 33,000 jobs in prospect from new building and other developments.

Mr. Woodburn

Is the Prime Minister aware that the last three questions are all related and that a solution of the problem of the location of industry would relieve both the congestion in London and the Midlands and the tragedy of unemployment in Scotland?

The Prime Minister

Of course we are aware of the importance of this matter. That was why we introduced the Local Employment Act and the measures taken under it already. We shall do all we can to promote further measures in the future.