§ Mr. Arthur Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Industry how many textile firms closed in (a) North-East Lancashire and (b) the North of England during the period 1971 to 1981; what is the percentage rate of closures during this period; and what were the comparable figures for the period 1961 to 1971.
§ Mr. MacGregorStatistics in the form requested by the hon. and learned Member are not available. However, I am aware that there were some 220 textile mill closures in the North-West between 1976 and 1981 and some 135 in the North-East and Yorkshire and Humberside regions during the same period.