§ 2. Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number and proportion of employment exchange areas in England and Wales which currently have a higher rate of unemployment than that in the Dinnington exchange area in the Rother Valley constituency.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithOut of 374 areas in England and Wales for which rates of unemployment can be calculated, at 11th October eight had rates higher than that for Dinnington.
§ Mr. HardyIn view of that reply and the serious problem which unemployment presents in my constituency, will the Minister consider conferring development area rather than intermediate area status on my constituency? Further, will he, please, not dismiss the problem as one caused purely by excessive inflation but realise that the problem in Yorkshire is caused by historical and technological changes in the nature of our industry?
§ Mr. SmithI agree that there are a number of reasons why the situation has come about. As the hon. Gentleman knows, I am not responsible for the apportionment of development or intermediate area status, but I shall have a word with my right hon. Friend the Secre- 1202 tary of State for Trade and Industry on that point.