§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Industry what approaches his Department has had from companies 310W wishing to be located in Kirkby and on Merseyside, respectively.
§ Mr. HefferThe Department does not record inquiries for sites and premises in the North West by specific location. However, during the 12 months to 30th November 1974 the Department's regional office suggested a range of Merseyside locations to 358 firms, and Kirkby was amongst locations specifically suggested to 107 firms.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Industry what approaches his Department is conducting into unemployment in Merseyside and in Kirkby;
(2) what steps he is taking to reduce unemployment on Merseyside;
(3) what steps he intends taking to reduce the level of unemployment in Kirkby; and what measures he is proposing to prevent it rising during the winter.
§ Mr. HefferWe give high priority to the stimulation of regional development and employment and have been looking carefully at the needs of areas, such as Merseyside, which have unacceptably high rates of unemployment. The recent granting of special development area status to Merseyside, the doubling of the regional employment premium and the strengthening of the IDC control should help to improve the situation. My Department is co-operating with other Departments in a study in depth of employment change in the North-West, including Merseyside.