HC Deb 19 July 1967 vol 750 cc2117-8
86. Mr. James Johnson

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates were applied for, granted and refused in the Hull area of the Yorkshire and Humberside Region for each year from 1955 to 1966.

Mr. Jay

Between 1956 and 1966 263 industrial development certificates were issued in the North Humberside sub-Division of the Yorkshire and Humberside Region. The figures for the individual years will be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I regret that figures are not available for 1955. Statistics of the number of applications received and of refusals of I.D.C.s are not published.

Mr. James Johnson

Will my right hon. Friend consider that it is not enough to give certificates when they are asked for when firms come to the North Bank of the Humber, when under the conditions there employers say that they are better off on Tyneside and elsewhere because of our lack of incentives?

Mr. Jay

I can assure my hon. Friend that in administering our I.D.C. policy we take account of all the special needs and special characteristics of the individual areas, including that which he represents.

Mr. McNamara

Is my right hon. Friend aware that I would like to have seen him when he came to Hull? Can he give a further assurance of new job opportunities on Humberside and say how these compare with the number lost through declining industries? Has there been a balance, or is there something on the credit side?

Mr. Jay

I am glad that there has been an increase in manufacturing employment in recent years. If my hon. Friend puts down a Question on this, I will give him more precise figures.

Following is the information:

1956 … … … 22
1957 … … … 17
1958 … … … 20
1959 … … … 27
1960 … … … 34
1961 … … … 21
1962 … … … 16
1963 … … … 16
1964 … … … 30
1965 … … … 28
1966 … … … 32
Total … … … 263