asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will impose a more stringent statutory wage standstill.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will make a statement on the Government's policy in relation to the prices and incomes policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will make a statement giving an up-to-date assessment of the effects of devaluation on the Government's Prices and Incomes Policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will introduce further legislation to restrain wage and price increases.

The next stage of productivity, prices and incomes policy is being considered by the Government. It will be the subject of further consultations with the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress. A statement about future policy will be made in due course.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give the House an undertaking that no such legislation will be introduced during this Session of Parliament? Or is he, alternatively, going to give way to the C.B.I's demand this morning?

I can give the hon. Gentleman no such undertaking. The Government are concerned to see that the voluntary system does not break down. They will not hesitate to strengthen it, and, if need be, to take new powers, as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear in his Answers on 18th January.

Can the right hon. Gentleman confirm or deny the report in The Times today that the Government are considering the introduction of a 12 months' statutory ban on wage increases over the Government's figure of 3½ per cent.?

No, Sir. I cannot deny or confirm it at this stage. As is well known, the Government are considering, the next stage in the incomes policy, and are considering all matters that are relevant to it.

What about prices? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the nationalised industries are driving a coach and horses through price stability? Is not the 10 per cent. increase in cheap railway fares in Scotland, announced yesterday, yet another example of how Government organisations themselves are destroying price stability?

As the House knows, the Government are as much concerned with prices as with incomes. It was only two or three months ago that prices and charges in nationalised industries were referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes, along with major manufacturing industry prices in the private sector.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that from July, 1966, to July, 1967, that is the period of the freeze through to the period of severe restraint. the living standards of workers in this country dropped by 1·2 per cent., and that if there is any suggestion of the reintroduction of a wage freeze this will just about smash the Labour movement, and the Government with it?

I do not accept the figures given by my hon. Friend, or at least I should want to look at them and discuss them with him first. I think that that will do for the answer.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that it is impossible to have compulsory wage restraint if the Government will not, or cannot, impose price restraint equally compulsorily, particularly in essential foodstuffs?

I think that any policy for incomes and prices has to be seen to cover both incomes and prices. We cannot have one without the other, but I put it to my hon. Friend that, in a period when we have recently devalued, it is impossible to ask for price stability during that period.

While accepting the theoretical economic case for wage legislation, would my right hon. Friend nevertheless agree that the industrial disruption that might be caused by such legislation is more likely to do greater harm than good?

I have no doubt that any legislation, should this be required, must also have with it a tremendous measure of consent to be effective.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs how many representations about price increases had been received by his Department in recent weeks; what consideration he has given to improving the mechanism for controlling prices as a result of these representations; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what further progress has been made by his Department in securing greater control of price increases.

Some 200 representations were received in the first six weeks of this year. As my right hon. Friend has indicated our intention in the post-devaluation situation is to make full use of the existing machinery for the supervision of prices, the effectiveness of which is kept under review, including extension of the arrangements for notification of price increases.

Would not the Minister agree that if the present pattern continues, we shall have a 30 per cent. or more increase in prices before the end of 1968? This will generate increased demand for wages, whatever the C.B.I. may say or the Government may try to do, and push up industrial costs and thus endanger our export position.

No, I do not accept my hon. Friend's figures. As my right hon. Friend was saying, the effect of devaluation is bound to come through now on import prices. Perhaps it would interest the House to know that the report of the N.B.P.I. on distributors' margins will be published today and it has some important points to make on this subject.

Will my right hon. Friend say what the departmental view is on the difference of opinion between the Consumer Council and The Grocer publication on the question of price increases? Can he say what further progress has been made in implementing the suggestion that I made to my right hon. Friend a few weeks ago, namely, following the example being set by the Observer newspaper?

My hon. Friend makes an important point in referring to the Consumer Council as distinct from a publication such as The Grocer. For instance, when it recently published the point about 500 price increases, it really covered 26 different commodities. A while ago my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture made it clear that in the case of 118 price increases announced by The Grocer they related to various sizes and varieties of Continental cheeses imported by two firms.

How can the Government control prices when manufacturers are compelled to pay 17 per cent. more for all the material which they import, because of devaluation?

I do not think that the hon. Gentleman has the point. Something which we know and have been saying for some time, of course, is that certain imported ingredients will rise in price. That does not alter the fact that the Gov- ernment can take that essential rise into account and still contain it.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs how many cases of prices being raised without clear justification have been referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes since devaluation.

The Government do not prejudge the issue in deciding to refer particular price questions to the Board. The purpose of the reference is to have the application of prices and incomes policy to a particular case independently examined. This can be in the national interest even where prima facie there seems good ground for a price increase.

Would my right hon. Friend not agree that the public are clear in their own minds that there has been a large number of seemingly unjustified price increases, which have not been referred to the Board and which the Government have not acted upon'? Is it Government policy to do nothing about these? When will the Government take steps to protect the standard of living of low-income families in work?

There have been far more prices references to the Board than incomes references. I have here a list of eight prices references since devaluation whereas there have been only two incomes references.

Would the right hon. Gentleman agree that, in some respects, it is a good part of the Government's present economic policy, in order to restrain demand, that many prices should be allowed to rise?

It may be an economic argument in that respect, but we want each case to be vetted against the criteria which we are using.

Is the Chancellor aware that during the current year under Part IV there were 14 orders about wages, one on services for laundries and none at all on prices? Does not this show that the prices policy of the Government is and always has been a sham?

No. If the right hon. Gentleman takes increases in prices over the period of this Government in office as against the increases in incomes, he will find that income increases are far higher than the increases in prices, as distinct from what was known as the Selwyn Lloyd squeeze.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that one of the additional reasons why there is such wide-ranging opposition among Labour M.P.s to a wage freeze is the position over prices and that we are totally opposed to a wage freeze?

I do not think the Question discusses a wage freeze, but I hope that my hon. Friends will look objectively at prices against incomes for then they will see that that conclusion is a false one.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage increase in prices in 1968.

I have nothing to add to the reply made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a Question by the hon. Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne) on 16th February.—[Vol. 758, c. 433.]

With the increase we are to have how do the Government intend to achieve a reduction in living standards, which the Prime Minister says we must have to make devaluation work, without imposing a statutory wage freeze?

My right hon. Friend and I have referred to the cost of the living standard as we see it over the period 1968. I should not like to go beyond what has been said.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will take steps to publicise Government action on prices within the terms of the Prices and Incomes Act.

References to the National Board for Prices and Incomes are publicised at the time and the reports made by the Board are presented to Parliament and published.

Surely my right hon. Friend is aware that most people rightly or wrongly, are under the impression that the Government, while being tough over wages are being very much less tough over the matter of prices? If the record of looking at prices and negotiating with manufacturers and referring increases to the Board is a good one as my right hon. Friend suggested earlier, why is he so coy about it? Why can we not have more publicity about what the Government are actually doing?

I do not disagree with the first point made by my hon. Friend that there are impressions to the effect that he stated. My job as I see it today has been to deny that. We use the full powers we have available wherever we believe that prices are being raised out of line with the criteria.

The right hon. Gentleman talks about action but what action are the Government taking to affect any price rises?

That is what we have been talking about today. We have asked for prior notification and when prior notification has been given we have argued very successfully that there should be no rise at all. On other occasions when this has not been possible we have referred the matter to the Prices and Incomes Board. I have given the figures of the number of occasions when this has been done. I have also pointed out that the issue of the retail margin will be published today.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether, when making orders under the Prices and Incomes Act, he takes into account overtime earnings as an integral part of incomes for the purpose of deciding whether existing wage and salary levels are too low to maintain a reasonable standard of living.

In considering whether a settlement meets the present criteria for pay increases the level of earnings and hours worked and the likely effect of the settlement on these are taken into account in addition to proposed changes in basic rates.

What would happen if municipal busmen decided to stop working overtime? Would they then qualify as lowly paid workers and be awarded the £1 increase granted to them by their employers? Then, if they decided to resume working overtime, would my right hon. Friend stop them doing so on the ground that this would make them too affluent?

If my hon. Friend were to study the compilation of busmen's rates he would discover that it is very difficult for them to get as low as the basic rate in the industry because even when they are working a 40-hour week many of them have to work in a period when overtime rates are due to them.

How can the Chancellor of the Duchy, or indeed, the Government have a coherent policy in this field until they define what a lower-paid worker is? What is the right hon. Gentleman's definition?

We do not know what a strict definition of a lower-paid worker is. This is a question of whether a basic rate is a real rate for the industry. If the right hon. Gentleman would like to discuss with me what I know to be low-paid workers, I can give him a definition of that.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what proposals he has to strengthen his department in order to equip it to plan the economy so as to increase productivity, involve producers in decisions taken by Government, and raise the standards of living of lower-paid workers.

The present establishment of my Department is adequate to enable it to carry out its functions in relation to Government policy.

I was not asking about establishment. Is my right hon. Friend not aware that the way to make his Department the spearhead of Socialist advance that it was intended to be, would be to free it of the Establishment anti-Socialist domination of the Treasury, which is continually giving Ministers outdated economic information on which they are basing their wrong policies? Is he aware that he would have—[Interruption]—full support if he put his foot down?

Order. Questions must be brief.

I can assure my hon. Friend that the major concern of the Department of Economic Affairs is with planning in the short and medium term. We have to carry out our policies in cooperation with many other Ministries.

Would not the right hon. Gentleman consider that he is the Establishment now?

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what research at York University into changes in taxation provisions in the event of Great Britain joining the Common Market is being subsidised by his Department; and what is the total amount of the cost to be borne on public funds.

The research to which reference is made is not supported by my right hon. Friend's Department, but by the Social Science Research Council.

Surely this work should have been done by, the officers of the Department and the Treasury before the application was made. Is not this an illustration of the muddle and lack of preparation which preceded the event?

On the contrary, naturally work of this sort is done within the Government, but in this case an application was made by York University to the Social Science Research Council, and after discussion with interested Departments a grant was made.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when he expects to receive a report from the East Anglia Regional Economic Planning Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1) whether he will now announce the date of publication of the regional study made by the East Anglia Economic Planning Council;

It is not possible to give a precise date for publication, but it is expected to be in the late summer of this year. I understand that it will indicate some preliminary views on strategy for the region.

While none of us would want to hustle this Council unreasonably, would not the hon. Gentleman agree that the sooner the Council makes known the lines along which it is thinking the easier it will be for industrialists, local authorities and others to give shape to their ideas for development into the 1970s?

I entirely agree with that. On the other hand, as the hon. Gentleman has said, it is important that this work should be done well. Therefore, we do not wish to hustle the Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what decisions he has now reached on the report and study for the South-East.

The Government are giving careful consideration to the report of the South-East Economic Planning Council, but it raises complex issues and I cannot yet say when the Government's views will be announced.

Is the Minister aware that the new plan, unlike the old, does not give any I.D.C.s to balance the increased residential population which will be coming in? Could he cast some light on this and say whether it is Government policy to give some I.D.C.s in this area?

The South-East Council plan is a draft strategy for the period up to 1981 and, indeed, looking beyond. I do not think that I.D.C. policy was developed very closely in the plan. It will be a matter for consultation between Government Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will make a statement on the medium term outlook, in the light of devaluation, as a first stage of the new National Plan.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs on what plan- ning assumptions the new planning exercise, being a review of the medium-term economic outlook, is based.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will make a statement on the effects of devaluation of the £ sterling on the National Plan.

There has been useful discussion in the National Economic Development Council on the economic prospects following devaluation, in preparation for the new planning exercise. I should not wish to prejudge the conclusions of this exercise. The central assumptions are that the transfer of resources to exports and import-saving will ease the balance of payments problem and make possible a higher and more sustained rate of growth.

Is the Minister aware that we all want him to get the National Plan right now? If he is to get the National Plan right, it would be far better if we knew what were the conclusions on which he based the plan. Why is he being so secretive?

I do not accept that criticism, although I am glad to have the hon. Member's support in the new planning exercise on which we are starting. We have to take a view of the economy in this new post-devaluation situation. We have already begun this and have given a preliminary paper, but we hope to develop it further in the next few months.

Is the Minister aware that his Answer to my Question is totally unsatisfactory? He has merely repeated what the Prime Minister said. Can he not tell the House the assumptions on which his great planning exercise is based? What about private investment, unemployment, the growth rate and other factors?

There are many assumptions which have to be worked out and brought together, but the key assumption which has been announced is that it is the Government's view that it should be possible for G.N.P. to grow at roughly 4 per cent. this year and possibly 4 per cent. in 1969. These are the starting points.

Will the new National Plan be based on the real present value of the £ or on the hypothesis that the £ in one's pocket has not been devalued?

I assure the hon. Gentleman that the figures will be consistent.

The Secretary of State has said something about central consultation. Can he tell us what consultation, if any, he intends to have more widely with industry and firms? Will it be based, as last time, on a questionnaire?

I should not like to give too firm an answer to that. The right hon. Gentleman probably knows that we are discussing planning not only with the N.E.D.C., but also with the E.D.C.s. It may well be that they have a view about the best way of carrying out consultations with firms and we shall take account of that.

Would my right hon. Friend agree that it is vitally important he should have consultation with individual groups or parts of industry to establish a certain and sure basis for future productivity and planning?

I absolutely accept that from my hon. Friend. The question really is which group, as it were, it is most sensible to contact. Is it in certain cases the E.D.C.s or should it be other bodies and organisations?

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what was the total establishment of the National Board for Prices and Incomes to the most convenient date; and how this compares with the same period for the previous year.

On 1st February, 1968, Board members and staff numbered 206, compared with 125 a year ago.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the dissatisfaction just expressed on both sides of the House shows that his Department is not working? Should he not reduce rather than increase the number of his establishment?

It shows that they are working harder than ever. At the moment, the Board has 23 references before it, as against 19 last year and they are also increasing staff so as to diminish their reliance on outside consultants.

In view of the fact that they are working harder than ever, how many cases of representations against price increases have been successful?

Recently, far more references than for wage increases.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what recommendations he is now implementing, following the Report of the working group on Migration—The Brain Drain, in view of the results shown.

The Report contains wide-ranging conclusions involving the universities, industry and other interests as well as Government. The Government are considering the recommendations as a whole and have commended to the universities and industry those which are addressed to them.

Would the hon. Gentleman not agree that this Report is now six months overdue? If his Department is as efficient as the Government claim, why has it not done something about it?

On the contrary, we are doing a great deal. First, as a result of an agreement between the Ministry of Technology and the M.S.L., a permanent recruiting drive is being undertaken in the United States. Second, with regard to the recommendations about risk finance for research and development, the Industrial Expansion Bill doubles the resources of the N.R.D.C. Much is being done, but much also depends on industry and the universities.

Will my hon. Friend take into account the effect of mergers on the brain drain? Is he aware that, in Hawker-Siddeley Dynamics, large numbers of valuable and highly-trained scientists are considering emigrating because of rationalisation and the lack of consultation which preceded it?

We will certainly take this into account, but my hon. Friend should remember that one of the reasons why many scientists and technologists are not entering industry is that they are not satisfied with the types of laboratory and technical facilities available. One of the consequences of mergers can be the improvement of the standard of industrial laboratories.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the details of such voluntary price vetting arrangements as have been agreed and indicate how these have been strengthened since devaluation.

No, Sir. There are almost 100 goods and services covering the main sectors of industry on the early warning list. The arrangements broadly follow the form described in Cmnd, 2808. Eight items have been added to the list since last summer. Discussions are now taking place with industry about further additions.

But that does not answer my Question. It is not about early warning but about price vetting. In view of the intriguing commitment of the C.B.I. to the policy of more vigorous price and income restraint, is there any indication that the C.B.I. is prepared to vet price increases in the same way that the T.U.C. has said that it is prepared to vet wage increases?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will consult the C.B.I. on that point—[HON. MEMBERS: "Answer".]—the hon. Gentleman asked me a question which should be directed to the C.B.I. and not to me. Many Government Departments have very fine systems for price vetting, in which they discuss with the appropriate industries applications made by those industries, and on many occasions they are successful in getting the applications either reduced or withdrawn.

Is my right hon. Friend not aware that the statement of the C.B.I is exceedingly important? I understand that his Department is consulting the C.B.I. continuously, so why does he object to this matter being raised? The point is that they say that they want wages strictly defined, non-extendable and strictly limited, but what are they prepared to do about prices? We should know this.

My hon. Friend got the point of the question entirely wrong. The hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) was asking questions which I still assert should be directed to the C.B.I. We have always consulted the T.U.C. and the C.B.I. and we shall continue to do so.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his last two answers are preposterous? It is not the job of my hon. Friend the Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) to implement the Government's prices and incomes policy, although he might wish that it were. The right hon. Gentleman must know whether or not the C.B.I. is prepared to assist the Government in their policy. Is this true or not?

The C.B.I. has not taken responsibility for vetting price increases. What it has done is circularise all its members asking them to limit price advances, according to the criteria which we have laid down.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will make a statement defining the relative areas of responsibility and action between the National Board for Prices and Incomes and the economic development committees.

The National Board for Prices and Incomes is statutorily responsible for independent examination of particular questions relating to incomes, prices and charges which may be referred to it. An Economic Development Committee has a continuing responsibility for examining the overall economic performance, prospects and plans of the industry concerned.

That does not get us very far. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is absolute jungle warfare among the proliferating bureaucracy of his Ministry and that Mr. Aubrey Jones—this is an open secret—wishes to investigate the motor industry but that the economic development committee for the industry does not wish to be investigated by Mr. Aubrey Jones? In these circumstances, should not the right hon. Gentleman say clearly whether he intends that the motor industry should be investigated by the Prices and Incomes Board?

The relation between that and the original Question is difficult to find. The straight answer is that one cannot make an E.D.C. composed largely of people from the industry concerned the appropriate committee to vet prices and incomes connected with that industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what action he will now take in the light of the South-East Regional Planning Board's recent report to offset the effects of the new defence policies on civil manpower requirements within the region.

It is too early yet to know what the effects of the new defence policies will be in the South-East Region.

Would my hon. Friend not agree that, already, as a result of changes in our defence commitments, we are seeing the impact in terms of surplus capacity in manpower and resources, particularly in dockyards, and that we should act now for a smooth transition to the use of these resources?

I entirely agree that unemployment in the Portsmouth area is too high, but the precise impact of defence policies on the South-Fast has not yet been made clear. Clearly, the Government will have to consider what action to take in the light of changes in defence policies.

Surely, if the Government are as good planners as they say in defence and the civil economy, they should have been able to predict in much greater detail the impact of their own policies on regions like the Portsmouth area?

As the hon. Gentleman is aware, the changes in defence policy have only recently been made. The Southampton-Portsmouth area is a growth area for new industry, and this may reduce the necessity for further action.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when the report of the Economic Planning Unit on the Humberside will be published.

The Central Unit for Environmental Planning has not yet presented its Report.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that all planning development on Humberside has been held up pending this Report and that of the Hunt Committee? Should he not get a move on and see that this Report is made and published?

The Report will be published as soon as possible, but it is necessary, in this case as in others, that the work should be well done. I cannot forecast exactly when it will come.

Will my hon. Friend be good enough to confirm that the maps, plans, statistics and facts were given to his Department and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government as long ago as last August? Would he instil some sense of urgency into consideration of this matter to still the scepticism of people in Hull about the matter?

My Department certainly has much information on this subject, but, nevertheless, it is a major economic and physical planning study with the object of assessing the long-term future of the area, and it is important that it should not be hurried.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will define the term full-employment, as used by his Department.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which the Minister of Labour gave him on 19th February.—[Vol. 759, c. 28.]

Will the Minister say simply and clearly that it is the Government's policy to ensure that no man, woman or young person is denied the opportunity of employment?

It is certainly the Government's wish to ensure that no one who wishes to work is unemployed for any length of time. On the other hand, my hon. Friend must remember that the achievement of this ideal objective is dependent on improvement of the balance of payments, the success of our regional policies and the prices and incomes policy.

Is the National Plan based on the assumption of full employment and, if so, what is the figure in quantitative terms?

I do not know whether the hon. Member is referring to the past National Plan or to projects to publish further information in future.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the actuary's report which we have recently discussed refers to a 2 per cent. Un-employment level agreed to by the Government? This seems to contradict statements made by the Prime Minister Can we have clarification? Is it Government policy to have 2 per cent. Unemployment or not?

No, that certainly is not the policy of the Government. The objective of the Government is to reduce unemployment substantially from its current levels and I hope that will take place in the course of the next 12 months. No doubt my hon. Friend will have seen the unemployment figures issued today, which show a further reduction.

If his right hon. Friend is thinking of a planning exercise, can the hon. Gentleman tell us the estimated level of unemployment to the end of this year?

No, I cannot give the hon. Member any figure for the level of unemployment to the end of the year. The assumptions on which any document is based will be revealed at the time when the document is published.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will request the Hunt Committee to expedite its work and complete its report by July at the latest.

I am satisfied that the Hunt Committee is pressing ahead with its work as quickly as possible. I do not think it would be helpful to set an arbitary time limit to the study of the complex issues involved.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a great deal of disappointment with the seeming lack of urgency shown by the Hunt Committee in preparing its report? Is he aware that the grey areas, which feel their problems increasingly, would very much welcome the Hunt Committee getting on with its job more quickly and at least giving my right hon. Friend an interim report some time early this summer?

I am glad my hon. Friend referred to "seeming" lack of urgency because I do not think there is any actual lack of urgency in the minds or practice of the Hunt Committee. The last time I was answering Questions I explained to my hon. Friend why I did not think it would be helpful to ask the Committee to produce an interim report.

The last time the Secretary of State answered Questions, he said that the Hunt Committee had not yet decided what a grey area was. Has he any more news now after six weeks or more?

I think the hon. and learned Member is having fun with a debating point. [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] Probably the most difficult and important job that the Hunt Committee has is to establish criteria—which means in a sense arriving at a definition—of those areas in the country which can be considered to be intermediate areas. This is not an easy matter at all. The Committee has invited evidence from a whole variety of areas which consider themselves to be intermediate. Until that evidence has been properly processed I cannot answer the hon. and learned Member who thinks that this is the simplest thing in the world to settle.

Will my right hon. Friend ask the Hunt Committee if it would be prepared to issue a report on a regional basis on matters on which it has reached a conclusion?

I should be surprised if the Committee was able to reach conclusions on a regional basis.

Will the right hon. Gentleman accept congratulations on his use of the admirable term "intermediate" rather than the harmful term "grey areas"?

I am grateful to the hon. Member. It occurred to me that the use of the word "grey" could often be counter-productive in respect of those who use it.

asked the Secretary of State for. Economic Affairs what discussions have taken place to assess and take action on the number of jobs required in South-East Northumberland in the next two years arising from projected pit closures in that area.

Action has been taken to deal with the problems arising from colliery closures by scheduling the relevant part of Northumberland as a Special Development Area in which exceptionally favourable terms for industrialists are made available. A more searching and detailed study of the economic prospects and potential of this area is in hand.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, although these long-term objectives seem to be operating favourably, the position for the next 18 months to two years looks very grim? Will he speed up the survey and make a closer examination of the situation?

I am pleased to be able to tell my hon. Friend that the Northern Economic Planning Board hopes to complete its preliminary studies next month. There are now 3,600 jobs in prospect for males in the employment exchange areas covering most of my hon. Friend's constituency. We have had the recent news of the decision to set up a £24 million nylon plant at Cramlington, and this kind of development is very much to the point.

Is not my right hon. Friend aware that the Northern Region Economic Council has been studying this problem ever since it was initiated about three years ago? Is it still studying? When will the Council come to a decision about anything which will affect the position in the Northern Region?

I do not think that my right hon. Friend can have heard what I said. I talked about the Board, not the Council, making this survey. I know that my right hon. Friend, even with his experience, cannot remember a time when there was not this kind of trouble in the Northern Region. We are doing more to attract industry there than any other Government have ever attempted. At the moment the signs are that we are succeeding. I very much hope, along with my right hon. Friend, that in the next few months there will be an appreciable drop in unemployment levels there.

Will the right hon. Gentleman issue in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the recommendations made by the Northern Economic Planning Council and what action has been taken either for or against, with the dates on which the decisions have been taken? Then we should know in the North of England exactly where we stood, which we do not know at the moment.

I will do what I can to help the hon. Lady in that respect. All the recommendations were not made to the Government. Quite a number of them were on issues which the Council itself would take up. A number of the issues which were directed to the Government have either been completed or are in the course of completion.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs when the present term of office of the Chairman of the Yorkshire and Humberside Economic Planning Council expires; and what steps have been taken to ascertain the views of those living in that region about the future of this appointment.

His present term of office expires on 31st March, 1968. I have asked Sir Roger Stevens to continue, and he has agreed. I think he has done an excellent job and I am sure this is widely recognised in the region.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that, without disputing Sir Roger's remarkable record as a successful ambassador, what the people of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire most need in facing their artificially created economic problems is a leadership in which they can have undoubted confidence because they have chosen it?

I think that Sir Roger has given very good leadership to the Regional Council. Under his guidance there was published in 1966 for the first time for this new region a study which I think contained a number of very new and important ideas. This has been followed up by a number of sub-regional studies, including one for the Huddersfield and Colne Valley subregions.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what discussions he has now had with the Southern Regional Planning Council about the closure of former Associated Electrical Industries establishments in South-East London.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will invite the South-East Regional Council to examine the implications for new towns in course of construction of the closure of neighbouring factories, without due warning.

The Council is keeping the regional planning implications under review, and it will certainly advise me if it considers such developments are likely to have any serious planning consequences. The Council considered the Woolwich closure yesterday and issued a statement of its views.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that about 6,000 workers at G.E.C. factories in South-East London first heard of these closures over the factory Tannoy systems? Is not this disgraceful? Does not my hon. Friend agree that, as G.E.C. is being paid £400,000 of the taxpayers' money, the very least that we can expect of the company is that it keeps the South-East Regional Planning Council properly informed of its future policy?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to emphasise the importance of giving the maximum possible notice, particularly in the case of large- scale closures and redundancies of this kind. He will recall that this arose out of a very recent merger and it may not have been as easy to deal with it as perhaps is the case where a firm which is already established is making redundancies. I certainly agree that it is a matter which needs further study, and the Government are conducting that study.