§ 58. Mr. Douglasasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give estimates of the proportion of the total assistance offered to attract new industry and expand existing industry accruing to Scotland in the years 1970 to 1975.
§ Mr. RidleyNo realistic estimate is possible, since expenditure in future years in particular areas will depend on detailed location decisions yet to be taken by industry.
§ Mr. DouglasWould the hon. Gentleman agree that it is really beyond comprehension that when we ask for detailed information from his Department it is never available? Estimates of this nature were given to the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs. Would the hon. Gentleman not agree that the reason why these estimates are not forthcoming is that the total amount for assistance given to Scotland by his Department in the new estimates has been tragically reduced?
§ Mr. RidleyThe hon. Gentleman must accept that it would be impossible to predict how many firms would set up, how much their investment would be, and what would be the cost of the Government's regional policies in a highly hypothetical situation which will arise in the next five years. He must accept that we cannot quantify guesses of this sort in the future.
§ Mr. PardoeApart from guesses into the future, will the hon. Gentleman deny that businessmen are finding it extremely difficult to move to development areas? Does he say that Government policies have improved the confidence of businessmen to invest in Scotland or any other of the development areas?
§ Mr. RidleyThe hon. Gentleman will, I am sure, agree that there has been a downturn in general business activity as a result of the policies pursued by the last Government. Surely it is not beyond his wit to realise that nothing this Government have done has altered the economic and industrial climate as yet. If hon. Gentlemen opposite are not 1197 satisfied with the position, they have only themselves to blame.
§ Mr. William HamiltonIf the hon. Gentleman says he cannot provide the figures in reply to this Question, how did the Government arrive at the figures of Government assistance to industry as given in the White Paper on Public Expenditure up to 1974–75?
§ Mr. RidleyThe figures in the White Paper are merely estimates. It is quite impossible to be certain what the figures will be.
§ Mr. Michael FootWill the hon. Gentleman, who has refused to answer all the other questions on this subject, now tell us whether the applications by industrialists wanting to go new to these regions is going up or going down?
§ Mr. RidleyThat does not arise on this Question. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] If the hon. Gentleman would like to put down a Question about that I will consider it.