§ 65. Mr. Lawsonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the threatened closure of the railway wagon building firm of Hurst Nelson & Co., Ltd., Motherwell; and whether, in view of his policy of seeking to encourage expansion of employment in this area of more than 8 per cent. unemployment, he will take immediate steps to ensure that this long established firm, which formerly employed 600 work-people, is not closed down.
§ Mr. J. RodgersI much regret this, but closure must depend on the commercial judgment of the management. Our Controller has done all he can to assist by advising the firm of all the sources known to him from which work might be available, but we have no powers to direct work to a particular firm.