§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of Stare for Industry what further evidence the Minister of State has had from the town clerk of Manchester about the case for development area status for the Manchester-Salford partnership area; what reply he is sending; and if he will place in the Library copies of both the town clerk's letter and his reply.
§ Mr. Norman LamontIn January, responding to the Manchester city council's request for the Manchester-Salford partnership area to be designated a development area, I explained that successive Governments have designated assisted areas by reference to travel-to-work areas. In reply to subsequent correspondence I said in a letter of 26 March that while the Government would continue to give careful thought to the interaction of regional industrial policy, new urban policies and other policies I could not justify in present circumstances using different boundary designations within the conurbations from those used more generally. The town clerk of Manchester has submitted further argumentation, but my decision, based on the considerations I have explained, remains that I am not able to accept the city council's case for development area status for the partnership area. To do so would have major implications for other inner urban areas with similar problems.
I have replied to the town clerk accordingly, and have placed copies of my letter of 26 March and subsequent correspondence in the Library of the House.