§ 12. Mr. Danceasked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is his 638 estimate of the effect of the level of employment in development areas of implementing the recommendations of the Hunt Committee.
§ Mr. ShoreThe amount of mobile industry is limited and the Hunt recommendations, particularly those for relaxation of the i.d.c. control, would entail a larger diversion of new employment opportunities from the development areas than we consider tolerable.
§ Mr. DanceWill the right hon. Gentleman devote some completely new thought to the Report of the Hunt Committee? Will he give us an assurance that any assistance given to the intermediate areas will not be to the detriment of the development areas, which have their own problems, in particular the high cost of commuting? Is he aware that people living in those development areas must have employment on their doorstep?
§ Mr. ShoreAs I went out of my way to emphasise when I made my statement on the Hunt Report, I am determined to maintain a large, indeed massive, preference in terms of financial assistance for the development areas, because I accept that their problems are considerably greater. It is a consequence of my determination to maintain this policy that I have not felt able to accept the proposal of the Hunt Committee to relax i.d.c. policy in other, more prosperous, areas of the country.