97. Earl of Dalkeithasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that no comparison can be made between the Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello employment exchange area and other areas excluded from development districts on geographical grounds, he will adopt a more flexible approach to the special problems of Edinburgh by considering individual applications for development area benefits wherever this can avert the danger of losing existing industries from the area or assist in the logical fulfilment of the Leith Dock development.
§ Mr. JayNo. Development area benefits are available only within designated development areas. Following a number of representations recently, I have examined the present circumstances of Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello and am not convinced that any change is necessary.