§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for Industry what measures, apart from upgrading to special development area status, his Department is considering so 65W as to reduce the rising rate of unemployment on Merseyside.
§ Mr. Heffer:Apart from granting the area SDA status we have also announced in the last year 12 new advance factories and we are taking over a 21-acre site at Gillmoss for redevelopment with modern factories. The doubling of the regional employment premium and the lowering of IDC limits outside the assisted areas will also help, as will the National Enterprise Board and the planning agreements system when they come into operation. Merseyside will, moreover receive nearly 3,500 jobs from the Government's dispersal plans.