Mr. Bob Brownasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to provide employment for the 70,000 unemployed in the Northern Region at present.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantThe Government's national and regional objectives are to lay a sound foundation for strong and sustained employment growth. The Northern Region benefits from the full range of development area measures: free depreciation; building grants, Government factories, and loans under the Local Employment Acts; special training assistance; and payment of the regional employment premium until 1974. In addition, in the special development areas, which the Government recently extended in the Northern Region, new incoming projects may be considered for operational grants and rent-free periods of up to five years in Government factories, Priority is given to the needs of the development and intermediate areas in the operation of the I.D.C. control.