§ 21. Mr. Greyasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the continued rise in the number of persons unemployed in the Spennymoor exchange area; and what steps he is taking to improve the position.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Mr. Niall Macpherson)My right hon. Friend is aware that the numbers unemployed in the Spennymoor Employment Exchange area rose from 374 last July to 667 in March but fell back to 607 at the April count. We will continue to do all we can to encourage further industrial development to counteract the effect of pit closures on employment there.
§ Mr. GreyIs the hon. Gentleman aware that these figures are very serious indeed? Will he tell the House what practical steps he intends to take to stabilise the position in the area in the matter of employment and thus avoid the present uncertainty?
§ Mr. MacphersonWe are making the fullest possible use we can of the Local Employment Act. This is the Measure which Parliament has put in our hands to use.
Mr. SlaterIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this employment exchange covers a very wide area, including my own? What are the prospects of new industry being brought to the site earmarked for development at Thinford? What has happened to the industry which was expected to come to that site and provide employment?
§ Mr. MacphersonSome industries look at two or three places and may decide not to go to one of them, but there are between 1,500 and 2,000 industrial jobs in prospect in this area as a whole.
Mr. SlaterIs it not true to say that wide publicity has been given to the fact that certain forms of industry were coming to the site to give employment in the area? Will the hon. Gentleman go into the matter again, and find out what has really happened and what the prospects will be for the future?
§ Mr. MacphersonI am aware of what has happened but the ultimate decision where to locate an industry must lie with that industry itself.