FIRST SECRETARY OF STATE (Hansard, 7 December 1967)

§ Q4. Mr. G. Campbell
asked the Prime Minister what are the responsibilities of the First Secretary of State in Scotland.

§ The Prime Minister
The same as in England and Wales, Sir.

§ Mr. Campbell
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are too many Ministers in the present Government and that there are too many where Scotland is concerned whose duties are ill-defined and uncertain?

§ The Prime Minister
No, Sir. I do not accept what the hon. Gentleman said. I have just said that the duties of my right hon. Friend the First Secretary there are the same as in England and Wales; and those duties I outlined to the House earlier this week.

§ Mr. Monro
Will the Prime Minister see to it that whichever right hon. Gentleman is responsible for Scotland visits the areas of high unemployment, which will be further hit by pit closures in February, 1968?

§ The Prime Minister
The question of pit closures has been fully discussed in Scotland by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and by me on my recent visit. We are extremely concerned 1662 about the pit closures and the resulting unemployment position. Hence the statement made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade a fortnight ago about help for these areas.

§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyne
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are, or shortly will be, 28 advance factories standing empty in Scotland? Will he get one or other of his many right hon. Friends to take an interest in this matter and try to cure the problem, as the Board of Trade seems unable to do?

§ The Prime Minister
As I have explained to the House a number of times, the situation here is that, as a result of the measures taken 18 months ago, there has been a falling off in new factory building. This has affected the situation. However, I am extremely glad that we have these factories now because, with the expansion that is now going forward, we will have the factories ready for immediate occupation; and that is why we have built in three years far more advance factories than hon. Gentlemen opposite built in 13 years.