HC Deb 12 December 1963 vol 686 cc555-6
30. Mr. Jay

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he proposes to give the same immediate priority to in vestment in public services in Sunderland and The Hartlepools as in the conurbations of Tyneside and Tees-side and in the Darlington-Aycliffe area.

Mr. Heath

The Hartlepools are regarded as part of the Tees-side conurba- tion and will therefore qualify for the priority for public investment which we envisage for that area. Sunderland is not regarded as part of Tyneside; while it is within the growth zone and will receive public investment as such, it will not qualify for priority as do the Tyneside, Tees-side and Darlington-Aycliffe areas.

Mr. Jay

As the right hon. Gentleman has now made it clear that Sunderland is not to get this priority, how can he possibly justify leaving out of this priority a city the size of Sunderland, which has an extremely high unemployment percentage?

Mr. Heath

Sunderland will receive priority as part of a growth zone, as the right hon. Gentleman will see if he looks at the plans for the road construction which affects Sunderland and which are very important to it. But in the first phase, Tees-side, Tyneside and Aycliffe will receive priority in public investment.

Mr. Jay

That means that Sunderland will not receive the same priority as Tees-side and Tyneside.

Mr. Heath

It will receive a degree of priority as a growth zone. The emphasis will be placed first on the three areas that I have mentioned.