§ Brigadier Petoasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will investigate the need for the establishment of a small industrial undertaking to absorb those who are unable to secure work in the neighbourhood of Ilfracombe and Combe Martin; and what he proposes to do in this connection.
Mr. H. WilsonUnemployment in Ilfracombe and district is confined largely to the winter months and, as was explained in paragraph 89 of the White 45W Paper on Distribution of Industry (Cmd. 7540), there are few industries with a peak demand for labour at this time of the year. Moreover, industrial undertakings large enough to absorb all those out of work in Ilfracombe in the offseason would run the risk of losing labour in the holiday season. I am, however, prepared to consider sympathetically any proposals to set up a small industrial undertaking in Ilfracombe and district.