Mr. Chapmanasked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether, in view of the representations made to him on the subject of unemployment in Lanarkshire by the county, burgh, and Parliamentary representatives, and the plans and details of sites submitted to him, it has been possible to establish any Government factories in Lanarkshire, or whether any such factories are contemplated for the future?
§ Sir T. InskipMy hon. Friend will be pleased to learn that work has already begun in connection with the establishment of a factory at Mossend near Bellshill in Lanarkshire.
§ Mr. Johnstonasked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he can give the number of the special establishments erected for the provision of armaments during the past 18 months; how many of these establishments have been erected in Scotland; and the approximate proportion of workmen employed in and cost of erection of these Scottish establishments to the whole programme?
§ Sir T. InskipThe number of special factories so far erected or in the course of erection by the Government, or on behalf of the Government for the provision of armaments during the last 18 months 1799W is 19. Of these three are in Scotland. Work has also begun in connection with the establishment of a fourth factory. These figures include shadow factories, but do not include extensions to Government factories normally operating in peace, or to the works of commercial firms, or Government factories approved but not yet under construction. The total cost of the above 19 factories will be £23,576,000 when completed, and of this £4,302,000 represents the cost of the three factories in Scotland. I regret that it is not possible, without an undue amount of labour, to give the proportion of numbers of men employed in the erection of the three factories in Scotland or the number of men employed in the erection of all the 19 factories I have mentioned.