52. Mr. J. T. Priceasked the President of the Board of Trade how many building licences for new industries have been granted during the past six months in the depressed cotton areas of Lancashire; and how many applications for such licences have been rejected.
Mr. P. ThomeycroftIf the hon. Member will let me know the particular areas for which he requires statistics, I will arrange with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works to let him have the information as soon as possible.
53. Mr. J. T. Priceasked the President of the Board of Trade what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government in furtherance of their policy of encouraging diversification of industry in Lancashire.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftI am glad to be able to announce that agreement has been reached in the last few days on the extension in some of the worst hit towns in Lancashire of three engineering firms, the General Electric Company, in Shaw, the Burnley Aircraft Products Ltd., in Burnley, and the British Thomson-Houston Co. Ltd., in Nelson. All three projects will be housed in existing premises and will, it is hoped, eventually provide additional employment for about 2,000 people. We are doing all we can to persuade other firms to follow their example.