asked the President of the Board of Trade how the cut of £2,950,000 in the amount to be spent on the building of new factories in the Development Areas will affect the progress of approved schemes in the North-East Development Area.

The estimated expenditure for the year 1952–53 for the Development Areas is calculated to provide for normal progress on all the schemes which can be proceeded with, having regard to the general limitations caused by the shortage of steel and the inevitable reduction in the capital investment programme.