HC Deb 14 February 1967 vol 741 c342
Q6. Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Cardiff on 23rd January on investment represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

Has the Prime Minister noticed that his right hon. Friend referred in his speech to firm and definite policies for the regions? Has the Prime Minister noticed that the result of these policies is that unemployment in Scotland is now running at about 90,000, and that the latest count for emigration is running at the record level of 50,000 a year? What is the Prime Minister going to do now to discourage the Scots, to coin a phrase, from voting with their feet?

The Prime Minister

My right hon. Friend referred to the regions and to the specific new measures taken during the past few months further to increase incentives for the regions. The hon. Gentleman will know not only that Scotland has suffered less from unemployment than in previous similar periods under our predecessors, but also that the percentage of new factories going to Scotland out of the total has increased very remarkably indeed compared with 1963–64. These are the measures that we are taking.