SPECIAL AREAS IN BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22593, 24 December 1938, Page 17

SPECIAL AREAS IN BRITAIN

* REPORT ON MEASURES FOR RECOVERY ACTS TO BE EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER YEAR (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.) RUGBY, December 22. The Commissioner for the Special Areas in England and Wales, in his annual report, says though the expenditure is necessarily in arrear of the commitments there has been a material acceleration in the rate of expenditure, largely because of the rapid progress of industrial schemes. “Industry,” the report states, “must be induced to go to these places or the people there must be removed—the first is obviously a better solution. I am glad, therefore, that the Government has decided to extend the Special Areas Acts for another year. The results of the efforts to induce industries to come to the special areas are only just beginning to show, and I intend that the work should proceed with unabated energy.” Commitments to the end of September last were estimated at £16,770,000, and the actual amount payable by way of grant or loan to that date at more than £8,500,000.

The Commissioner for the Scottish Areas reports that financial commitments in Scotland at the end of September amounted to £4,200,964, and the total cost of the schemes was estimated at £7,683,325, excluding capital brought into the Scottish areas by new firms.