§ 1. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will, taking into account the shortage of jobs in the Mexborough travel-to-work area, now designate it a special development area.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Industry (Mr. John MacGregor)No, Sir. The specific difficulties of Mexborough were fully recognised in the Government's review in 1979, when we decided that it should become a development area.
§ Mr. WainwrightDoes the Minister realise that almost nothing has been done by the Government, despite the fact that it is a special development area? Is he aware that people in the Mexborough area are feeling helpless, hopeless and full of despair and are disillusioned with the Government? When will the Government do something to help unemployed people in the Mexborough travel-to-work area, especially young people, who are beginning to lack in hope and think that Britain does not want them to work?
§ Mr. MacGregorThe hon. Gentleman knows that under the various schemes available to Mexborough as a development area there has been some take-up—not as much as he or I would like—amounting to £2 million in the past two years. There is a whole battery of weapons available to the Mexborough area. The hon. Gentleman referred to youth unemployment. All the greatly expanded schemes now available through the Manpower Services Commission are also available to Mexborough.