§ 10. Mr. Greyasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state, in respect of the North-East for the year ended 31st March, 1963, the number of industrial development certificates issued, the area covered by them, and the estimated additional employment resulting from them.
§ Mr. D. PriceEighty-five industrial development certificates were issued, with a total area of 2.5 million square feet, and an estimated employment of 6,300.
§ Mr. GreyIs the hon. Gentleman aware that that reply is totally unsatisfactory. How does this compare with the rest of the country in terms of these services? Is he aware that there is still 5.1 per cent. unemployment in the North-East region? The figure he has quoted is totally inadequate.
§ Mr. PriceI recognise that the figures of unemployment in the North-East are high. However, over the year in question, the total working population of the North-East represented one-twentieth of the working population of the country as a whole and the new jobs arising from the issue of industrial development certificates in the North-East represented one-tenth of the new jobs created through these certificates in the country as a whole. If the hon. Gentleman follows that up with arithmetic, he will see that the North-East got twice as many jobs proportionately as did the remainder of the country.
§ Mr. GreyI beg to give notice that shall raise this matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible moment.