§ 6. Miss Herbisonasked the President of the Board of Trade how many jobs have been provided in the areas covered by the Wish wand Carluke Employment Exchanges since the passing of the Local Employment Act, 1960; and what proposals he has for the siting of an industrial estate in this area to provide work.
§ Mr. ErrollNo jobs have yet been provided. I have no proposals for any new industrial estate in this area: our Larkhall estate is only a few miles away and developments there and at Shotts should provide a substantial increase in employment.
§ Miss HerbisonSurely the President of the Board of Trade must be perfectly well aware that in the Wishaw and Carluke areas there is a very high rate of unemployment? Surely he must also be aware that the jobs provided at the two small factories at Shotts and Larkhall will do no more than take up a small proportion of the unemployment in the areas? Does not he realise that his Answer proved how clear it is that the new industrial estate for Lanarkshire ought to go to this area or to the area about which my hon. Friend the Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mr. Dempsey) is concerned and not to where we understand it is to go?
§ Mr. ErrollI recognise the seriousness of the position outlined by the hon. Lady, but we must look at North Lanarkshire as a whole. We have done a great deal. Assistance totalling over £4 million has been offered to date for new projects estimated to provide 7,500 new jobs, but I fully accept that there is more to be done.
§ Miss HerbisonThe right hon. Gentleman must be aware that the number of jobs provided merely replaces the number of jobs lost in the area. Does he realise that the Carluke area will be hard hit by the closure of another pit and that there is scarcely one mining job in the area today, and the Government have done nothing?
§ Mr. ErrollI am aware of that.