asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he is aware that during the last 10 years the town of Coatbridge has lost 1,000 jobs; and what action he is taking to reverse this trend.

Coatbridge, as part of the North Lanark growth area, will continue to receive the benefits of the programme of growth outlined in the White Paper on Central Scotland. Excluding the areas of Blantyre and Hamilton, the estimated number of insured employees in employment in the Growth Area has increased by over 5,000 between 1951 and 1962.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are 3,000 unemployed in this area now and that 11,450 others must travel elsewhere, out of the district, to work? Does he agree that he cannot challenge these figures, which have been announced today? Is it not about time that we got cracking with the building of some advance factories in the Coatbridge and Airdrie areas to prevent the unemployment position from becoming even worse?

The important figures I have given show a growth in the numbers employed of about 5,000 between 1951 and 1962.

Will the Secretary of State explain his exclusion of the exchange areas of Hamilton and Blantyre, which are in my constituency and which are in the centre of this growth area, and his inclusion of the figures for East Kilbride, which provides employment not for people from Lanarkshire but mainly for people from Glasgow?

I was answering a Question about Coatbridge and was giving the figures for which the hon. Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mr. Dempsey) had asked.