§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) why, in view of its dependence on traditional industries such as glass, coal and chemicals, the St. Helens metropolitan district does not qualify for assisted area status;
(2) pursuant to the answer of 5 July, Official Report, c. 58, what, for the purposes of assessing eligibility for assisted area status, is the ratio between employment and unemployment in the St. Helens metropolitan district.
§ Mr. Trippier[pursuant to his reply, 11 July 1983, c. 228]: Successive Governments have designated assisted areas by reference to the circumstances in individual travel-to-work areas and this continues to be the case. The St. Helens metropolitan district covers the whole of the St. Helens TTWA, which has development area status, and small parts of the Liverpool (special development area), Wigan (development area) and Warrington (non-assisted) TTWAs. Whilst an over-dependence on traditional industries is a factor to be taken into consideration, there are other criteria for assessing whether an area should be assisted or upgraded. These include communications and obsolete infrastructure. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that on present evidence, particularly relative unemployment levels, the current AA gradings are appropriate to the circumstances of these TTWAs. The unemployment rate in the St. Helens TTWA in June was 16.4 per cent.