§ 19. Mr. O'Malleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will make a statement on the discussions he has had regarding long-term employment prospects in the Rotherham area.
§ Mr. HeathI am aware that the coal and steel industries provide a substantial proportion of the jobs available in this area; but unemployment is low, and I must give first priority to the needs of the development districts for new industry. I will continue to give sympathetic consideration to applications 1320 for industrial development certificates for suitable new projects in the area.
§ Mr. O'MalleyWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Government are prepared to encourage firms to apply for industrial development certificates? Would he not agree that the present unemployment figures in the Rotherham area are an inadequate criteria on which to base an assessment of the long-term problem? As a matter of urgency, would he designate a regional planning area for Yorkshire so that statistical criteria may be collated, on which a policy to deal with long-term problems could be drawn up.
§ Mr. HeathI am giving consideration to the last point. It is necessary to look ahead to see what items are likely to influence the unemployment figure which, as the hon. Member will know, is at present 1.9 per cent. If the hon. Gentleman means will I offer inducements to encourage firms to apply for I.D.C.s, the answer is "No". That must remain for development districts. If firms wish to have I.D.C.s for expansion, I will sympathetically consider that.
§ Mr. O'MalleyIs the Minister aware that there are many women and girls in the Rotherham area who are not registered for employment because there is no work for women in that area, and will he look at that matter?
§ Mr. HeathI will look at that. But the blunt fact is that the unemployment rate there is 1.9 per cent. and there are many development districts with a higher rate of unemployment to which we must induce industry to go.