HC Deb 25 October 1971 vol 823 cc1213-4
14. Mr Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Government advance factories have been completed, are now being built, and are in the planning stage, respectively, in the South Yorkshire intermediate area; and whether he will make a statement on future policy.

Mr. Anthony Grant

Two advance factories are under construction, one of which should be finished in February and the other in May next year. Work on a third is about to start and on a fourth will begin early in the new year. The needs of South Yorkshire will be borne in mind when further advance factory building is considered.

Mr. Wainwright

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the delay in building these factories has further aggravated the unemployment situation in South Yorkshire? Is he further aware that in Mexborough and district unemployment is now running at 7.4 per cent? When will he and his right hon. Friend come off their pedestal of inertia and get something done? Is he not aware there is a great demand in South Yorkshire for the intermediate area to be scheduled as a development district and for the Yorkshire and Humberside region to be made an intermediate area?

Mr. Grant

On the first point, I am not aware that the delay has contributed to unemployment in the hon. Gentleman's area. Of course, I regret any unemployment there. The important thing is to get industry into the factories rather than just to build them. On the question of status, we have to look at the country as a whole. We keep the hon. Gentleman's area, as all other areas and their status, under very careful review, but we cannot keep chopping and changing all the time.

Mr. Osborn

Would my hon. Friend state the extent to which these factories are being used, and will he say whether he feels that the area has been able to substantiate a demand for the factories once they are set up?

Mr. Grant

I am not certain that I understand what my hon. Friend is asking, but the policy we are suggesting is to build new factories as and when there is a demand and to avoid as much as possible having factories lying idle.

Mr. Varley

The hon. Gentleman has not said anything about future policy. Is he saying that in the foreseeable future he has no intention of announcing another advance factory building programme? Is he further aware that the last programme was introduced by the Labour Government in the spring of 1970? Does he not think it time for a further advance factory building programme to be announced—especially, if, should government predictions be right, there is a boom around the corner?

Mr. Grant

I do not agree with the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question. We certainly have not changed the policy in that respect. The needs of the area, which I was asked about, will be considered along with those of other places when another advance factory programme is planned.