§ Mr. Parryasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the recent visit of a deputation from Liverpool City Council to discuss with him unemployment on Merseyside.
§ The Prime MinisterRepresentatives of the Liverpool City Council, the trade unions, the CBI and the Merseyside Chamber of Commerce, together with my hon. Friends the Members for the Liverpool constituencies of Edge Hill (Sir A. Irvine), Garston (Mr. Loyden), Walton138W (Mr. Heffer), Toxteth (Mr. Crawshaw), Scotland Exchange (Mr. Parry), West Derby (Mr. Ogden) and the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Steen), met my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment, Industry, Employment and myself on 27th April.
There was a valuable and comprehensive discussion on a number of problems affecting Liverpool, including unemployment, housing, crime and roads.
The discussion took account of the very considerable help already available to Liverpool, including the assistance to industry arising from special development area status—£124 million in regional development grants has been provided since 1974 and £51 million in regional selective assistance—the inner city partnership and dispersal of the Civil Service. The meeting recognised the need for concerted action by the local authorities and other representatives of the local community, including the trade unions, and by the Government, to combat the city's problems.
The Ministers present undertook to consider the various points raised by the deputation, including the proposal for an inner city ring road, more Civil Service dispersal, and the need to encourage service industries.