§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will consider the further expansion of the advance factory programme as a means of providing for the creation of jobs in the assisted areas; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Williams:The advance factory programme has a useful and proven role to play in furthering regional employment policies for the Assisted Areas.
The programme's main purpose remains that of contributing, along with other forms of regional assistance, towards the diversification of industry in areas where the effects of structural unemployment are most severe. In the last few years it has also complemented measures taken by the Government to assist small firms, and in the assisted areas it has a particular rôle to play in furthering the provision of jobs in the inner city areas.
The programme expects to provide some of the additional factory capacity which will be needed in areas of special need when the economy expands. An increasing number of factories are becoming available and I am pleased to say that the number of lettings is steadily rising.
In addition to the six complexes of small factory units at Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Hull, Bootle, Liverpool and Camborne (providing employment opportunities for about 1,400 jobs) which I announced on 19th October the Department is now planning to build the following 59 factories totalling 550,000 sq. ft. with a job potential of some 2,200.
227WAt the same time, I am asking the English Industrial Estates Corporation to proceed with the adaptation of two large older factories at Gateshead and South Shields to provide 17 smaller units totalling 24,000 sq. ft. and 51,000 sq. ft. respectively.
Location of advance factory Area square feet YORKSHIRE AND HUMBERSIDE Bridlington 2 x 5,000 Hemsworth 1 x 10,000 (TU) Bradford (1 x 10,000) (2 x 5,000) Goldthorpe (1 x 15,000) (TU) (2 x 5,000) Elland (1 x 10,000) (1 x 10,000) (TU) Barnsley 1 x 10,000 (TU) SOUTH WEST REGION Hayle 2 x 5,000 Ilfracombe 2 x 5,000 Torrington 1 x 10,000 WEST MIDLANDS Oswestry 1 x 15,000 EAST MIDLANDS Skegness 2 x 5,000 Holmewood 2 x 5,000 Sutton in Ashfield 1 x 10,000 (TU) NORTH WEST REGION St. Helens 2 x 10,000 Widnes 1 x 10,000 Huyton 1 x 25,000 Ellesmere Port 1 x 10,000 Netherton 1 x 15,000 Ulverston 2 x 5,000 Barrow 1 x 15,000 (TU) Wigan 1 x 10,000 Manchester 1 x 10,000 Fleetwood 1 x 10,000 Carn forth 2 x 5,000 Heysham 1 x10,000 Nelson 1 x 10,000 Burnley 1 x 10,000 (TU) Blackburn 1 x 10,000 Clitheroe 1 x 10,000 Bury 1 x 10,000 NORTHERN REGION Gateshead 1 x 20,000 Sunderland (1 x21,000) (TU) (3 x 6,400) Hartlepool 1 x 10,000 (TU) Workington (1 x 10,000) (1 x 15,000) Maryport 1 x 10,000 1 x 5,000 Crook 1 x 10,000 (TU) Bishop Auckland 1 x 10,000 Consett 1 x 10,000 (TU) Cramlington 1x 15,000 (TU) Langbaurgh (South Bank) 1 x 10,000 (TU) Langbaurgh (Loftus) 1 x 10,000 TU= Terraced unit.