§ 28. Mr. G. Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will make a statement on the tenancy of the advance factory recently completed at Portmadoc, Caernarvonshire.
§ Mr. D. PriceMy right hon. Friend is considering an application for the factory and hopes to make an announcement shortly.
§ Mr. RobertsI welcome that statement. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that it is now nearly two years since this factory was first sanctioned for building by his Department? Is he further aware that, in the meantime, unemployment and depopulation in the district has been increasing? Will he now, when on the point of finding a suitable tenant for this factory, direct his urgent and sympathetic attention to the need in South Caernarvonshire for further advance factories of this type, particularly since unemployment in the area is, even now, running at four and even five times the national average?
§ Mr. PriceI think that the hon. Gentleman knows that I will be in Caernarvonshire on Tuesday. I hope that he will be there, when we can go into these matters in far greater detail than is possible by way of Question and Answer. I can assure him, publicly, that we want to do everything we can to tackle the problems of Caernarvonshire which he has outlined.