HC Deb 30 March 1933 vol 276 cc1196-7W
Mr. SMEDLEY CROOKE

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of new industries which have been established in this country since the change in our fiscal system, and the approximate number of British workers who have thereby been given employment?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I would refer the hon. Member to the statements given in the replies to the hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. L. Jones) on 2nd June, 1932, and to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hacking) on 19th December, 1932, from which it will be seen that 218 new undertakings were established in this country by or with the assistance of foreign concerns during the period November, 1931, to October, 1932. A further statement on these lines is being prepared in co-operation with the Ministry of Labour to cover the period from November, 1932, to April, 1933, and will be available in May. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour indicated in a reply given on 16th February, 1933, that the number of persons employed by these undertakings was about 9,700. I am unable to make any statement at the present time regarding new undertakings established by British concerns.