HC Deb 16 July 1997 vol 298 cc229-30W
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the potential contribution of European Territorial Employment Pacts to the creation of new jobs; and if she will make a statement. [8680]

Mrs. Roche

The Government is committed to new partnerships which will attack long-term joblessness. Territorial Employment Pacts are a potentially innovative mechanism for bringing together the relevant partners in a local area to focus and co-ordinate their job-creation efforts. The pilot projects which the Government intends to nominate the European Commission, together with others in the United Kingdom and those going forward in other parts of Europe, will provide useful experience for future partnerships.

Mr. Bennett

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much notice Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council was given of the request to bid for a pilot territorial employment pact by the Government Office for the North West. [8578]

Mrs. Roche

A letter, with written guidance, inviting regional partners including Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council to submit proposals for pilot projects to set up Territorial Employment Pacts was sent out by the Government Office for the North West on 4 July. Responses were requested by 9 July to meet DTI's deadline of 11 July. Stockport's response was the first of 13 proposals which the Government Office for the North West received. The short amount of time resulted from the new Government's desire to meet the European Commission's timetable for nominating up to 10 pilot projects from the UK.