§ Mr.Cleggasked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) whether, in view of the problems created in Fleetwood by the settlement of the Icelandic fisheries dispute, he will reconsider the question of granting development area status to Fleetwood;
441W(2) what special measures he is taking to provide employment in Fleetwood for those made redundant by the settlement of the Icelandic fisheries dispute.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldFleetwood is already an intermediate area and qualifying investment there is therefore eligible for regional development grants on buildings and also selective financial assistance. The Department is negotiating to buy a 10-acre site in Fleetwood and hopes to locate an advance factory in a future programme. The 15,000 sq. ft advance factory on the north-east side of Blackpool will be completed early in 1977. I welcome the local council's policy of attracting new industry to the area and the Department's regional office will do all that it can to assist the council's efforts.
TABLE 1 Centre January February March April May Birmingham … … … 903 774 842 552 637 Bristol … … … 969 856 1,010 668 702 Cardiff … … … 725 667 880 585 712 Glasgow … … … 650 600 639 466 541 Leeds … … … 599 476 628 450 541 London … … … 959 1,008 1,163 639 654 Luton … … … 703 680 807 434 553 Manchester … … … 1,026 811 885 601 741 Newcastle … … … 468 559 699 454 412 Nottingham … … … 528 588 749 482 580 Table 2 provides the average monthly inquiry rate for each centre since its opening and illustrates the increase in the number of inquiries that took place following the commencement of a national advertising campaign in March 1975.
TABLE 2 Centre From opening to February 1975 March 1975 to May 1976 Birmingham … … 387 654 Bristol … … 275 742 Cardiff … … 277 598 Glasgow … … 228 475 Leeds … … 246 492 London … … 339 829 Luton … … 324 544 Manchester … … 335 806 Newcastle … … 273 465 Nottingham … … 266 535