§ Q46. Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Prime Minister if she will now take steps to reduce the level of unemployment on Merseyside.
§ The Prime MinisterI am of course deeply concerned at the current high level of unemployment on Merseyside. A fall in unemployment on Merseyside, as in the country as a whole, depends largely upon a recovery from the present world recession and on an increase in world trade. It also depends upon our ability to control inflation and improve our international competitive position. That is what the Government's policies aim to do.
As a special development area, Merseyside will continue to benefit from the full range of regional incentives at the highest levels available in Great Britain. These, together with Liverpool's designation as an inner city partnership area, an enterprise zone at Speke, an urban development corporation based on the docks and our programme of special employment and training measures, are proof of our determination to do all we can in the more immediate term to help the area.