HC Deb 28 June 1973 vol 858 cc401-2W
Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in view of the growing disparity in job creation between Scotland and most other planning regions, if he will now introduce more stringent industrial development certificate controls in the South-East and the Midlands.

Mr. Anthony Grant

No, but the IDC control is kept constantly under review. With the upturn in the economy and the incentive of regional selective assistance there should be an increase in the number of mobile projects which can be steered to Scotland. Offers of regional selective assistance so far made in Scotland involve 5,000 additional jobs. Unemployment in Scotland has dropped by 1.6 percentage points over the past year which is more than in any other planning region.

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