HC Deb 12 March 1964 vol 691 cc649-51
22. Mr. Wolrige-Gordon

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development why he will not accept a given rate of migration from any one area of the country as an indication of unemployment in that area with a view to directing Government assistance towards it.

Mr. Heath

Migration may be due to a variety of motives and is not necessarily an indication of unemployment.

Mr. Wolrige-Gordon

Is my right hon. Friend aware that migration is a very serious problem for parts of the country from which the exodus occurs, and that it is also a serious problem for those parts of the country receiving it? Is he further aware that, in some parts of the country, the situation has become so serious, and we are losing so much of our population, that urgent action is called for?

Mr. Heath

Of course, in a broad way we took all this into account in the White Papers on Central Scotland and on North-East England. The object is to see that migration shall not go on where people do not want to leave to work in other places. But there are places where, despite very low unemployment, migration continues for other reasons. The factor my hon. Friend suggests is not, therefore, the only criterion for such Government assistance as development districts receive.

Mr. Manuel

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that he is taking a very backward view about the high rate of migration from certain areas? Is he convinced that nothing can stop the build-up of population in certain areas and complete migration from others because of unemployment? If he is, he is very wrong; and he should lead an attempt to get away from such outmoded thinking.

Mr. Heath

The hon. Gentleman is quite wrong in attributing that thought or reasoning to me. Of course, we are endeavouring to prevent further expansion in the South and the Midlands by refusing industrial development certificates and this means that employment does not expand there. Moreover, we give the best inducements of any country in the industrialised West to industries to go to development districts and expand. This is a forward-looking policy in trying to deal with the problem.

Mr. S. Silverman

Where large-scale migration from an area continues over a long period in combination with a decline in the staple industries of the area, is it not the case that the migration masks unemployment? Is he not aware that, nevertheless, the Government have always refused, in the case of Lancashire, to take these factors into consideration in considering whether help should be given?

Mr. Heath

I fully appreciate that point of view in the region of which the hon. Gentleman is speaking. But in that area there is today, and has been for some time, a very low level of unemployment and it cannot, therefore, be concluded necessarily that this migration is happening because of unemployment there. Indeed, a great deal of industry has gone to that area.