HC Deb 11 December 1968 vol 775 cc397-8
8. Mrs. Renee Short

asked the President of the Board of Trade what criteria guide him in deciding when to grant permission to firms in the West Midlands to expand there.

Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody

Each application for an industrial development certificate is considered on its merits.

Among the factors taken into account are local employment needs and resources, the nature of the project, its ties to a particular area and its contribution to exports and industrial efficiency. Special regard is paid to the suitability of projects for the Development Areas, whose needs must have priority, and where appropriate the overspill towns.

Mrs. Short

But my hon. Friend does not mention that she takes into account the existence of under-used or empty factory space. As my hon. Friend's Department keeps no record, how is she in a position to decide whether firms should be allowed to expand?

Mrs. Dunwoody

I am sure my hon. Friend will accept that we have some knowledge, although we do not have detailed knowledge of every empty factory, of which firms are going to move out, and we take what is going to happen to their remaining premises into account before deciding what their future pattern should be. In 1967 approval was given for 7. 1 million square feet of new industrial building, which is expected to provide 6,900 jobs. In the first nine months of 1968 approval was given for 8. 5 million square feet of building, which is expected to provide 4,700 new jobs. This is a fairly considerable amount of development.

Mr. Kenneth Lewis

Is the hon. Lady aware that in my view there is no damn merit about this at all? The Minister is turning down far too many requests for these certificates by small country towns seeking to employ only 30 to 40 people in small factories, and this is absolute nonsense. Will the hon. Lady reconsider the policy of her Government in this matter?

Mrs. Dunwoody

The hon. Gentleman is not only unfair, but inaccurate. It is about time a little of the psychological hysteria which seems to be gripping some parts of the Midlands was dealt with on fact, and not on fancy.