HC Deb 29 May 1968 vol 765 cc1804-5
9. Mr. Haseldine

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give an assurance that Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding industrial development in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region will not impose any limitations of space on companies endeavouring to expand in that area.

Mr. Crosland

I shall continue to give sympathetic consideration to applications for industrial development certificates for expansion of local firms in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region and for suitable new projects. Only one industrial development certificate has been refused in the region since the beginning of 1965.

Mr. Haseldine

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that assurance, may I ask whether he would accept that Yorkshire and Humberside has a tremendous potential which must not be frustrated, and that nothing should be done at this time to weaken the potential development of the region?

Mr. Crosland

I accept that the region has a tremendous potential, but I must point out that it has an unemployment figure of only 2.6 per cent., which is substantially lower than that in most development areas. Therefore, while we recognise its potential, we think that it would be quite wrong, in advance of the Hunt Committee's Report, to take special measures designed to help this region alone.

Mr. McNamara

While we are very happy about the flexible I.D.C. policy as it affects existing firms, may I ask my right hon. Friend to look at the problem of new firms entering the area with a view to encouraging them, especially in those parts where we have large pockets of male unemployment?

Mr. Crosland

We try to consider the problems of new firms as sympathetically as possible and invariably approve new projects, provided that they cannot go to a development area. Generally, we operate the I.D.C. policy in as flexible a manner as possible.

Mr. George Jeger

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, in the district of Thorne in my constituency, where unemployment is over 11 per cent., recently there was a refusal by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to allow planning permission for the extension of an existing local factory? Is he satisfied that there is complete liaison between the Board of Trade and the other Ministeries involved?

Mr. Crosland

If I may, I should like to look into the example that my hon. Friend has mentioned.