§ 21. Mr. MacCollasked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the Widnes Borough Council against exclusion from the list of development districts; and what action he proposes to take.
§ Mr. J. RodgersA reply has been sent to the representations received from the Widnes Borough Council explaining that, in view of the expansions projected for the area, my right hon. Friend does not consider that unemployment in Widnes is likely to persist at a high level.
§ Mr. MacCollIs the hon. Member aware that the expansion also covers the area of Prescott and Merseyside, which is within the Bill, and that therefore Widnes, in competing to get factories ancillary to the main development, will be handicapped in comparison with those areas which are within the Bill? Is he also aware that I am bursting to accept his invitation to get together with him to discuss the responsibility of the President of the Board of Trade for preventing Widnes from looking after itself through the Lancashire County Council Bill?
§ Mr. RodgersWe have also to bear in mind that Widnes is within five miles of the Ford development at Halewood, which is expected to provide some 8,000 new jobs.