HC Deb 23 July 1979 vol 971 cc10-1W
55. Mr. Spriggs

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give the reasons why St. Helens, formerly a special development area, has been downgraded to development area status in the light of the fact that it has a growing unemployment problem with one major industry making every effort to reduce its labour force.

Mr. David Mitchell

As with a number of other of the special development areas, we considered that St. Helens' position no longer justified indefinite continuation of this grading. That part of the St. Helens travel-to-work area—Haydock—which used to be an intermediate area, has, however, been made a development area.

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