§ Mr. Pentlandasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that his decision to suspend work on an Inland Revenue computer centre at Washington New Town, County Durham, has caused dismay throughout the North-East of England; and if, in view of the prevailing unemployment problem, and the fact that the centre would ultimately provide 3,000 new jobs in the area, he will now reverse his policy and sanction work to proceed on the project.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI am well aware of the concern which the suspension of the Inland Revenue's computer programme has caused to people in the North-East of England and in the other areas which are affected; but further expenditure on new Computer Centres would not be justified until the review of the programme which I announced in the House on 7th December, 1970, has been completed.—[Vol. 808, c. 130–131.]