HC Deb 16 May 1984 vol 60 cc345-7
3. Mr. David Marshall

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet Glasgow district council to discuss unemployment in the city.

9. Mr. Martin

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to secure existing jobs in industry in the Glasgow area.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Allan Stewart)

My right hon. Friend has had no request from Glasgow district council for a meeting to discuss unemployment in the city. Glasgow has special development area status and the selective financial assistance which we have given since May 1979 has created more than 5,400 jobs and safeguarded more than 6,200 jobs in the city. At the same time the Government have supported a number of special projects by the Scottish Development Agency to assist Glasgow; for example, GEAR and the Scottish exhibition centre.

Mr. Marshall

The Minister's answer is just not good enough. Does he agree that he and his colleagues have a duty to tackle the scandalous level of unemployment in Glasgow, even if his party is almost extinct there? Is he aware that Dalmarnock, in my constituency, has 63 per cent. unemployment, according to figures that are already six months out of date? Will he consider continuing and increasing the GEAR project, and introducing as a matter of decency and urgency a crash programme to tackle the problem of dampness in thousands of Glasgow houses, and thereby create many much needed jobs?

Mr. Stewart

Glasgow has benefited enormously from public expenditure under this Government. The GEAR developments in the hon. Gentleman's constituency amount to £200 million over a six-year period; the Scottish exhibition centre is a £36 million development, and Glasgow has benefited from the leg-up scheme and will continue to benefit from the Anderson scheme, the St. Enoch's development and the west of Scotland science park. In addition, the Government are committed to disperse to Glasgow 1,400 jobs in the Civil Service and the Ministry of Defence. That is precisely 1,400 more jobs than the last Labour Government achieved.

Mr. Martin

Is the Minister aware that within two years the work force at the Caley workshops, which are now known as Springburn railway workshops, will be reduced to about 600 if British Rail maintains the present level of work that is being given to them. Will the Minister give the House an assurance that he will urge British Rail and Ministers at the Department of Transport to give more work to the only railway engineering works in Scotland?

Mr. Stewart

The Government are committed to a strong, competitive railway manufacturing industry, although detailed decisions in relation to the engineering division at Springburn are for British Rail and British Rail Engineering Ltd. to decide.

Mr. Hirst

Does my hon. Friend agree that Government initiatives have done much to improve the face of Glasgow, and does he further agree that Dr. Michael Kelly's campaign, "Glasgow's Miles Better", has done much more to put Glasgow on the map than the whingeing that we constantly hear from Glasgow Members on the Opposition Benches at Question Time?

Mr. Stewart

The campaign has been a great success and I am sure that, on a personal basis, all hon. Members will join me in wishing Michael Kelly's successor personal success as Lord Provost of Glasgow. One of the most encouraging—

Mr. Foulkes

What about Provost Gibson MacDonald? [Laughter.]

Mr. Speaker

Order. I do not understand these jokes.

Mr. Stewart

I was just going to add that it is particularly encouraging that the work of Locate in Scotland and of Glasgow district council recently resulted in important inward investment projects by Holmes and Narbur.

Mrs. McCurley

Does my hon. Friend agree that excessively high rates in Glasgow, combined with the doctrinaire principles of the Labour-controlled council, have prevented many companies from coming to Glasgow and providing jobs there?

Mr. Stewart

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. There is no doubt that if the new district council pursues reasonable expenditure and rating policies that will be of great benefit to firms already in Glasgow and will attract new firms.

Mr. Dewar

Returning to the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Springburn (Mr. Martin), does the Minister share our anxiety, given the appalling problems that are faced in Glasgow, at the prospect of 900 jobs being lost at the Springburn engineering works? Will the Minister accept that it is not good enough for him to say, simply, that that is a matter for British Rail, as we expect the Government to show some sort of concern and Ministers to work to ensure that there is sufficient investment in the railway network to save those jobs?

Mr. Stewart

I note what the hon. Gentleman says, as will my right hon. and hon. Friends at the Department of Transport. I heard the hon. Member for Glasgow, Springburn (Mr. Martin) refer to the issue, and I must repeat that the Government are committed to a strong, competitive railway manufacturing industry, although detailed management, decisions must be for British Rail and for British Rail Engineering Ltd.

With regard to investment in rolling stock, the hon. Gentleman may be aware that since October we have approved five investment proposals amounting to £120 million. British Rail proposes to increase its investment by 40 per cent. between 1983 and 1987.