68. Mr. Storehouseasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will visit Walsall in the near future to meet trade unionists and to receive a first-hand report on the worsening employment position in Walsall.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithDuring my visit to Walsall on 23rd March I discussed the local employment situation with a number of people, including trade unionists. Since we also obtain a good deal of information about developments there, through our area managers' contacts with both sides of industry, my right hon. Friend does not consider that a further ministerial visit in the near future would be appropriate.
§ 69. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he intends to take to offset the effect on employment in Walsall of redundancies announced in the Walsall Stainless Tubes plant of the Tube Investments Group.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithThe local officers of my Department will do everything they can to help those directly affected by these redundancies by means of advance interviewing, special canvassing for vacancies and offers of training and retraining.
Walsall, like other areas, should benefit from the unprecedented measures to encourage industrial expansion which were announced in the Budget. In particular, firms which wish to expand there should find it easier to do so now that the exemption limit in the West Midlands below which industrial development certificates are not required has been increased from 5,000 to 15,000 sq. ft.