HC Deb 12 May 1988 vol 133 c462
19. Mr. Devlin

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the growth of manufacturing output in 1987.

Mr. Norman Lamont

Manufacturing output grew by 5½ per cent. between 1986 and 1987.

Mr. Devlin

Given the fact that there has been a 90 per cent. increase in GDP per head in the northern region, does my right hon. Friend see a significant improvement in manufacturing industry in that region?

Mr. Lamont

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor said earlier, this last year has been an extremely strong one for manufacturing output, a nd he expects that the same will be true for this year as well. That obviously bodes well for the northern region.