§ Q2. Mr. Fernyhoughasked the Prime Minister if he will now state, following the proposals made by the Lord President of the Council, when Her Majesty's Government's long-term plans for the North-East will be announced.
§ Q3. Dame Irene Wardasked the Prime Minister whether the report from the Lord President of the Council on long-term proposals for the North-East Coast has yet been received; and what action is proposed to be taken as a result of it.
§ Q8. Mr. Milneasked the Prime Minister what consideration he has given to the proposals of the Lord President of the Council in regard to North-East unemployment; and to what extent the report will be published.
§ The Prime MinisterI am expecting my noble Friend's report very shortly. As I told the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Pentland) on 28th May, when the report has been considered, the Government will announce long-term plans for the region.
§ Mr. FernyhoughWill the Prime Minister assure us that this report will not be treated as a security document? Will the right hon. Gentleman issue it 221 as a White Paper so that we can all know the recommendations which the noble Lord is making, and will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that so long as he retains his present office he will find the necessary money from the Treasury to implement whatever policies are suggested by his noble Friend?
§ The Prime MinisterThe report is to the Cabinet. When the Cabinet has reached its conclusions it will announce them, and I am quite sure that when the Cabinet has reached its conclusions the House will be recommended to approve any money that is necessary to implement them.
§ Dame Irene WardThe Prime Minister will be aware that his noble Friend has already outlined some major proposals contained in the report. Will my right hon. Friend accept our appreciation from the north of England at the appointment which was made, directly on his recommendation, of the noble Lord, and may I say how much we appreciate the various proposals which appear to have been indicated in the report which my right hon. Friend will quite shortly receive on behalf of his Cabinet?
§ The Prime MinisterI am grateful for that, which I think is a very fair tribute to my noble Friend. A large number of short-term proposals have already been announced, and in one form or another, partly in the Budget and partly outside, have been implemented. We are now awaiting the rather longer-term plan, and this will be announced when the Government have decided what to do.
§ Mr. MilneIs the Prime Minister aware that he and his Government have hedged on this matter for long enough; that this is about the fifth or sixth promise that we have had about the proposals of the Lord President of the Council; and that as the promises have increased in number so have the unemployed in the North-East? What we want is some positive action on this matter.
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Gentleman first premise is incorrect, as is his second. Unemployment has fallen recently by more than 4,000.
§ Mr. BlytonIs the Prime Minister aware that in the North-East we are tired of the gimmicks of the Lord President of the Council?
§ Dame Irene WardRubbish.
§ Mr. BlytonIs the right hon. Gentleman further aware that 18 months ago the Board of Trade said that there were 30,000 jobs in the pipeline, but that none has as yet emerged?
§ The Prime MinisterWhat I. the Lord President of the Council, and all my colleagues are struggling to do is to raise the material standard of well-being of the people on the North-East Coast. Nowadays, apparently, this is regarded as a disreputable ideal, but it is one to which I still cling.
§ Mr. ShinwellWill the Prime Minister be good enough to try to arrange that his noble Friend's report is made available to hon. Members before the Summer Recess?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. The recommendations of the Government will be made available.