HC Deb 16 November 1971 vol 826 cc209-11
Q4. Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his meeting with the North-West Industrial Development Association on 29th October, 1971.

The Prime Minister

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 9th November to a Question from the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher)—[Vol. 825, c. 127.]

Mr. Morris

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his meeting did nothing to abate the anxieties and apprehension among many very representative people in the North-West? Is he aware of our very deep concern about the appalling problem of youth unemployment in the region and of the insistent demand now for a change of I.D.C. policies affecting important parts of the North-West—not least in order to ensure that we have improved housing improvement grants for Manchester and other areas in that region?

The Prime Minister

The members who met me, or some of them, might have had their anxieties more abated if they had not put out their views to the Press before they met me. It does not seem to be a very satisfactory way of carrying on a discussion to give the results of that discussion before it has been held. Nevertheless, I undertook to look into all the points raised by the members and these are now being considered by Government Departments. I also told them that the number of I.D.C. approvals in October was up and that there was a notable rise in applications for assistance under the Local Employment Acts. This they did not know, but if they had consulted Government officials in the area, information would have been given them at once.

Mr. Redmond

Has my right hon. Friend found that the North-West Industrial Development Association has made any assessment of the effect of the measures taken by this Government in the North-West, both in the environment in Lancashire and through the Chancellor's statement in July, and also whether there would be any effect on Lancashire industry through our entry into the Common Market? Did the members give him any information as to the research which they had done into industry in this way?

The Prime Minister

So far as I know, they had made no assessment at all. They said that they had asked for reflationary action to be taken earlier in the year, and none had been taken. It was therefore necessary for me to point out to them what had been done by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July.

Mr. Heffer

In view of the fact that unemployment has now risen to 51,000 in the Merseyside development area—that is, an increase of 23,000 people in the last two years—and in view of the eleven-point programme put forward by the Association, would the right hon. Gentleman now tell us what answers he gave the Association, irrespective of whether they went to the Press or not, and what the Government intend to do about bringing down that level of unemployment?

The Prime Minister

Of course, the Association was told of the measures which the Government have already taken, of which its members were not, apparently, aware—although some of them were prepared to admit that the reflationary effort is greater than has ever been made by any Government before, and some were prepared to admit that, in particular, the housing improvement grants were having a remarkable effect in North-West Lancashire.

Mr. Morris

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek an opportunity to raise the matter on the Adjournment.