§ Dr. Summerskillasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will give additional help to the machine tool industry in view of the continuing needs of the industry evidenced by the proposed closure of Churchill-Redmans Limited, Halifax, and the consequent redundancy of 350 people.
§ Mr. Anthony Grant:As my right hon. Friend announced on 22nd March the Government are to assist firms in the industry by seeking to place orders through the public sector to a value of £9 million to £10 million during the next six months or so. This should provide some early relief while the general measures announced in the Budget are working through to the capital goods sector. The problems of the machine tool industry feature in the work of the newly formed Industrial Development Executive.—[Vol. 833, c. 1534–55.]