§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has any plans to examine at first hand the current state of industry in the Black Country.
§ Mr. David Mitchell[pursuant to his reply, 30 October 1980, c. 336): My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit the Black Country in the near future. The Government are, however, well aware of the situation there, particularly through recent visits to the area by my noble Friend the 397W Minister of State, Department of Industry, and myself.
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Industry what recent representations he has received over the position of industry in the West Midlands and in the Black Country.
§ Mr. David Mitchell[pursuant to his reply, 30 October 1980, c. 336]: In recent months the Department of Industry has received a number of representations about the position of industry in the West Midlands and the Black Country from a variety of sources, including from the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps it is now intended to take to reverse the increasing number of redundancies and closures in the West Midlands.
§ Mr. David Mitchell[pursuant to his reply, 30 October 1980, c. 336]: The industrial and employment prospects of the West Midlands depend on firms producing competitively goods that customers want to buy. That is a task for industry. The Government's policies are intended, given time, to help create the conditions in which competitive and enterprising industrial firms can develop.