Mr. Dennis Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will call an immediate conference of representatives of the West Midlands county council, the district councils, the Birmingham chamber of commerce, the West Midlands regional CBI and the West Midlands TUC in order to consider the seriously high rate of unemployment, and to propose new initiatives designed to create new employment prospects.
§ Mr. King[pursuant to his reply, 26 July 1982, c. 414]: I am kept fully aware of the views of the business community and local government in the West Midlands and have made a number of visits to the region this year. My Department's programmes are playing their part in stimulating economic regeneration—for example, through the Birmingham inner city partnership, Wolverhampton inner area programme, derelict land clearance area and the Dudley enterprise zone—to try and help improve the serious level of unemployment. The further announcements by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor may also reinforce these efforts.