Seaton Delaval and Blyth

HC Deb 16 May 1963 vol 677 cc1521-2

11. Mr. Milne

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the number of requests received for development grants since Seaton Delaval and Blyth were scheduled as development districts; how many have been granted; and what are the sums involved.

Mr. D. Price

Five firm applications have been received for financial assist- ance for projects in Seaton Delaval and Blyth, but only one of these has included a request for a grant: this case is at present under consideration.

Mr. Milne

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this news is rather disturbing? The efforts of his Department were recently described as having got off to a good start, but will he appreciate that a good start after twelve years of Conservative rule in Britain is not good enough and that we want more than a good start? Will he let us have something tangible in the very near future?

Mr. Price

Leaving out the political overtones of that supplementary question, I think that we are off to a very good start. As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Board of Trade is building one advance factory in Seaton Delaval and other in Blyth. That seems to be substantial evidence that we mean what we say.