§ Mr. David DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, following the statement by the right hon. Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton) on 13 July,Official Report, columns 1148–57, he intends to proceed with the designation of the Sunderland enterprise zone.
Mr. HuntA fresh invitation to the Tyne and Wear development corporation to prepare an enterprise zone scheme has been issued today. This replaces the earlier invitation referred to in the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Mr. Trippier) to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Patnick) on 10 April, and incorporates revisions to the boundary of zone No. 1 covering land at Hylton riverside and Soundwick shipyard which were requested by the corporation. The effect of these is to replace a 10-acre site requiring much preparation with one that is ready for development. I am arranging for copies of the present invitation and map showing the land specified to be placed in the Library of the House. Meanwhile I understand that Sunderland borough council is continuing with steps towards the designation of those areas for which it is the enterprise zone authority (zone 2 at Castletown and zone 3 at Doxford park).