§ 86. Mr. Marplesasked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the number of people on Merseyside likely to be found employment in 1950 as a result of the steps which his Department have taken since Merseyside was scheduled as a Development Area on 4th March, 1949; and what percentage of this figure will be males.
§ Mr. Bottomley:I cannot forecast the position in 1950 with any accuracy; but, since Merseyside was scheduled as a Development Area on the 4th March, 1949, approval has been given to 48 new factories and extensions (including six which will be built under the provisions of the Distribution of Industry Act) capable of giving employment eventually to 4,300 persons, 52 per cent. of whom 86W are likely to be men. Additional employment will also result from schemes for factory building and the leasing of surplus Government factories to industries started before the area was scheduled.