HL Deb 22 December 1964 vol 262 cc711-2

2.46 p.m.

LORD CRAIGTON

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Scottish Planning Board and the Scottish Planning Advisory Council will initiate a special study to inquire into

  1. (a) the progress of Glasgow's industrial overspill; and
  2. (b) what action is necessary to ensure that, in the long term, Glasgow will have a properly balanced industrial economy.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SCOTLAND (LORD HUGHES)

My Lords, the matters mentioned by the noble Lord are of great importance and will undoubtedly be brought under review by the new machinery for economic planning which we are setting up. I should, however, make it clear that the movement of industry from Glasgow is only one aspect of the very serious problems affecting the economy of Central Scotland. If migration of our skilled industrial manpower is to be checked. and if we are to attain the objective of a balanced economy, not only for Glasgow but also for Central Scotland and, indeed, Scotland as a whole, we shall have to take a much wider view and be prepared for much more radical measures. It is in that context that I would expect the Scottish Economic Planning Board and the Scottish Economic Planning Council to approach these questions.

LORD CRAIGTON

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that reply. It has been quite clear for some time that the industrial overspill envisaged in the Housing and Town Development (Scotland) Act, 1957, has not taken place, and that in the end we shall need a properly balanced industrial economy in Glasgow. I can assure the noble Lord that anything that we on this side of the House can do to help him in his efforts to achieve this, we will do.