asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the increasing number of unemployed in Sunderland, he will allow the North Eastern Trading Estates Company to commence work in the proposed specially designed standard factory.

The building of factories in the Development Areas in advance of demand was deferred indefinitely by the previous Government early in 1951, and the present shortage of steel and need to restrict capital investment are such that I do not think that I would be justified in reversing this decision.