Goole

HC Deb 23 April 1963 vol 676 cc11-2

16. Mr. Jeger

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the road, rail and water transport facilities of Goole, which, together with its high unemployment, make it a desirable town for new industries; and whether he will now schedule it for development.

Mr. D. Price

Under the Local Employment Act, the criterion to which my right hon. Friend must have regard in listing localities as development districts is that of high and persistent unemployment. He does not consider that there is any likelihood of this in Goole, and cannot therefore add it to the list of development districts.

Mr. Jeger

Is not the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in Goole there are several hundred people who have to travel many miles every day to seek work elsewhere—to Scunthorpe, Leeds, Bradford, Hull and other places? Is he not aware that if he does not take some strong action to provide some alternative employment in Goole, the town is foredoomed to failure in the future? Is it not time that the whole of the West Riding, and particularly its industrial portions, came under a special review by the Board of Trade?

Mr. Price

I would not agree. As hon. Members know, we keep the list of development districts under almost constant review and hope that we are able to adjust the scheduling of districts to take care of trends. At the moment, on current form, we should not be justified in making Goole a development district.

Mr. A. Roberts

Why does the hon. Gentleman insist on sending industry out of the West Riding and into other parts of the United Kingdom?

Mr. Price

The hon. Member is asking a very specious supplementary question. He knows perfectly well that under the Local Employment Act firms which want to develop in any part of the country have to get industrial development certificates and we have to try to see that where a firm can appropriately go to a development district it does so. The hon. Member knows that as well as I do.

Mr. Jeger

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the subject on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.