§ 46. Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he is aware, following his recent visit to the South-West Region, of the need for a closer liaison in planning and development between local authorities and county areas, particularly in roads, industrial development and the provision of harbours; and if he will take steps to set up a joint committee of these authorities in the region, for the purpose of arranging closer co-operation and discussing the needs of the region as a whole.
§ Mr. D. PriceMy right hon. Friend welcomes closer co-operation between local authorities on matters concerning regional growth and development; but he considers it most likely to prove effective where the initiative arises locally.
§ Mr. G. R. Howardasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what developments there have been following his visit to the South-West; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HeathAs the Minister of Transport announced on 24th February, the Government have decided to authorise further improvements to the A.38 west of Exeter, costing over £2 million. Work on them will begin this year. In addition, a survey for a new road of at least dual carriageway stan-108W dard is to be made from the existing terminal of the M5 at East Brent in Somerset to a point just west of Exeter; and surveys for new by-passes on the A.38 are being started. I am satisfied from what I saw when I was in the region that to improve conditions on this main artery will greatly help to open up the South West for tourism and industry and to stimulate growth over a wide area.
Within the region, Devon and Cornwall have special problems of unemployment, and a rate of population growth lower than the national average. I shall continue to use my full powers under the Local Employment Acts to encourage industry to set up or expand in the development districts there. There are now some 1,600 jobs in prospect in the development districts and a further 3,500 elsewhere in the two counties. But there is a stubborn problem of unemployment in Falmouth and a need for more diversification of employment there. I have therefore decided to build an advance factory of 25,000 sq. ft. in the area.
I have been glad to learn that local interests in Cornwall have been discussing the possibility of forming a development group and of studying the county's development. I welcome this initiative; but as the problems of Cornwall are met with elsewhere in the South West peninsula, I believe that studies of this kind might appropriately, and profitably, be extended to cover a rather wider area. I am therefore inviting the Joint Committee for the Economy of the South West to consider this in conjunction with the other interests concerned; and I am informing them that I should be prepared in due course to consider a request for financial support for detailed investigation into particular aspects of the area's econmnic potential.