Mr. Watkinsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will issue a statement of the activities of the Development Commission in Wales since February, 1954, and what assistance it has given to industries in rural Wales.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftSince February, 1954, direct assistance has been sanctioned from the Development Fund to industries in Wales by way of loan for the erection of two factories at Llangefni. Grants have been made in aid of the work
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ADVANCES SANCTIONED TO ORGANISATIONS IN WALES DURING THE PERIOD 1ST APRIL, 1954–14TH MARCH, 1957 (No advances were sanctioned in the period 17th February-31st March, 1954) — Financial Year 1954–55 Financial Year 1955–56 Financial Year 1956–57 to 14th March, 1957 Total £ s d £ s d £ s d £ s d Rural Community Councils: Carmarthenshire: General Community Work 1,170 0 0 1,412 0 0 1,910 0 0 4,492 0 0 Rural Industries Work 1,337 0 0 1,414 0 0 1,521 0 0 4,272 0 0 Monmouthshire: General Community Work 1,270 0 0 1,323 0 0 1,450 0 0 4,043 0 0 Rural Industries Work 1,815 0 0 1,774 0 0 1,949 0 0 5,538 0 0 Pembrokeshire: General Community Work 950 0 0 1,332 0 0 1,674 10 0 3,956 10 0 Rural Industries Work 1,358 0 0 1,784 0 0 1,392 0 0 4,534 0 0 Grant for furniture and equipment for new office premises — — 200 0 0 200 0 0 of the Welsh Woollen Manufacturers Association Ltd. Continuing technical advice and instruction is given to rural industries in Wales, as in England, through the Rural Industries Bureau, which maintains a Welsh Office, and which is financed entirely from the Development Fund. Loans are made available to rural craftsmen in certain approved categories from the Rural Industries Equipment and Workshop Loan Funds which are financed by the Development Fund. Grants from the Development Fund are made to maintain Rural Industries Organisers employed by Rural Community Councils of which there are nine in Wales.
Recommendations made to the Treasury by the Development Commissioners for advances from the Fund are not confined to rural industries. A list is given below of advances sanctioned or drawn since the 17th February, 1954, to bodies in Wales and Monmouthshire. A similar list for the period up to the 16th February, 1954, was published in the Official Record of 23rd February, 1954. Since that date responsibility for fisheries harbours in Wales has been transferred under the provisions of the Fisheries Act, 1955, to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who also assumed responsibility on 1st April, 1954, for assisting The Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society. In other respects the functions of the Development Commission in Wales remain unchanged.
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—— Financial Year 1954–55 Financial Year 1955–56 Financial Year 1956–57 to 14th March, 1957 Total £ s d £ s d £ s d £ s d Montgomery shire: General Community Work 1,270 0 0 1,384 10 0 1,570 0 0 4,224 10 0 Rural Industries Work 1,109 0 0 1,818 0 0 1,862 0 0 5,789 0 0 Merionethshire: General Community Work 1,270 0 0 1,312 0 0 1,400 0 0 3,982 0 0 Caernarvonshire: General Community Work 1,270 0 0 1,380 10 0 1,525 0 0 4,175 10 0 Rural Industries Work 1,525 0 0 1,489 0 0 1,333 0 0 4,347 0 0 Anglesey: General Community Work 1,270 0 0 1,320 0 0 1,491 10 0 4,081 10 0 Rural Industries Work 1,352 0 0 1,192 0 0 1,333 0 0 3,877 0 0 Denbighshire: General Community Work 1,270 0 0 1,215 10 0 1,679 0 0 4,164 10 0 Rural Industries Work 1,452 0 0 1,763 0 0 1,799 0 0 5,014 0 0 Cardiganshire: General Community Work 1,270 0 0 1,310 0 0 1,400 0 0 3,980 0 0 Council of Social Service for Wales and Monmouthshire: General Community Work in rural areas of Wales and Monmouthshire 6,724 0 0 5,365 0 0 4,695 0 0 16,784 0 0 South Wales Sea Fishery District Committee: Resuscitation of the oyster fishery in the River Cleddau and Milford Haven area Planting of oysters in the financial year 1957–58 — — *7,500 0 0 *7,500 0 0 Gwyrfai Rural District Council: Grant to meet deficit between the net revenue from the factory at Penygroes during the period 1st November, 1952–31st October, 1954 and the instalments of loan due to be repaid to the Development Fund on 1st November, 1953 and 1st November, 1954 — — 1,662 8 4 1,662 8 4 Welsh Agriculture and Industries Limited: Grant to meet administrative expenses on industrial development for the three years ending 30th September, 1957 — 7,500 0 0 — 7,500 0 0 Erection of a factory at Llangefni for Denis Ferranti Meters Limited Loan — 120,000 0 0 — 120,000 0 0 Erection of a factory at Llangefni for Messrs Warburton Loan 7,800 0 0 — — 7,800 0 0 Agricultural experiment in Anglesey Supplementary loan 32,300 0 0 — — 32,300 0 0 Welsh Woollen Manufacturers Association Limited: Grants in aid of Association's work: Calendar Year, 1956 — 1,400 0 0 — 1,400 0 0 Calendar Year, 1957 — — 1,500 0 0 1,500 0 0 Totals 68,782 0 0† 157,488 10 0† 40,846 8 4† 267,116 18 4†
PAYMENTS MADE DURING THE PERIOD 17TH FEBRUARY, 1954 TO 14TH MARCH, 1957 FROM ADVANCES SANCTIONED IN THE PERIOD PRIOR TO THE 17TH FEBRUARY, 1954 —— 17th Feb, 1954 to 31st Mar, 1954 Financial Year 1954–55 Financial Year 1955–56 Financial Year 1956–57 to 14th Mar, 1957 Total Ffestiniog Carpets Ltd £ £ £ £ £ From loan sanctioned in 1953 for working capital (£3,000) — 1,500 0 0 1,000 0 0 — 2,500 0 0 Survey Council for Rural Wales From grant sanctioned in 1956 for surveys (£7,836) — — 500 0 0 — 500 0 0 Council of Social Service for Wales and Monmouthshire From grant sanctioned in 1953 in aid of Council's work for financial year 1953–54(£6,540) 540 0 0 — — — 540 0 0 Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society From grant sanctioned in 1953 (£4,750 Basic: £2,100 £ for £) 3,350 0 0 — — — 3,350 0 0 New Quay (Cardiganshire) Urban District Council From grant sanctioned in 1952 (£19,450) for repairs to the Harbour Pier — 524 0 0 — — 524 0 0 Totals 3,890 0 0 2,024 0 0 1,500 0 0 — 7,414 0 0 Grand Totals 3,890 0 0 70,806 0 0 158,988 10 0 40,846 0 0 274,530 18 4 * This scheme has been deferred pending consideration of the effect upon it of a proposed industrial development in the area † These sums were not necessarily drawn in their entirety during the period 17th February, 1954 to 14th March, 1957 The Development Fund has also provided funds for the erection of temporary village halls by the National Council of Social Service and for loans in relief of the cost of permanent village halls. Grants are also made to the National Federation of Women's Institutes in aid of some aspects of their work. In addition, Wales shares the benefit of expenditure from the Development Fund on fisheries research.