§ Mr. Philip Bellasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet come to any decision on the suggestions made to him on 8th April, 1952, by a deputation from the General Council of the Lancashire and Merseyside Development Association that North-East Lancashire should be scheduled as a development area.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftWhile the deputation from the General Council of the Lancashire and Merseyside Industrial Development Association which I met on 8th April pressed for more diversification in North-East Lancashire, it did not specifically recommend that North-East Lancashire should be scheduled as a Development Area. As I informed the right hon. Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) on 1st May, I am currently considering whether it would be appropriate to schedule any of the districts, including North-East Lancashire, which are affected by the present recession in the textile industries.
§ Mr. Philip Bellasked the President of the Board of Trade what applications for new industries in North-East Lancashire have been made to him since 8th April, 1952.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftSince the 8th April, 1952, one application for an industrial development certificate has been made, and approved, for a new industrial project in North-East Lancashire. In addition, five applications were made to build small extensions to existing units; four of these have been approved, and the other is under consideration.