§ Dr. John Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State For Industry whether, in view of the decision by the Secretary of State for Wales, to increase by 71 per cent. in 1982–83 the grant paid by Her Majesty's Government to the Development Corporation for Wales, via the Welsh Development Agency, he will afford identical treatment to the grant from his Department to the North of England Development Council, in view of the identical size and scale of the problems in the Northern region; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorWe are considering the scale of grant which might be paid by this Department to the North of England Development Council and the other three English regional development organisations when present financial arrangements come to an end in March 1983. My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Industry, is meeting the chairmen and directors of the four bodies, together with representatives of the regional local authority associations today to discuss this and other matters of common interest.