§ Mr. Trippierasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has approved any plans by the English Industrial Estates Corporation for further public investment in the assisted areas of England, or elsewhere, during the next financial year.
§ Mr. Norman LamontYes. My right hon. Friend has approved provisional proposals by the corporation for allocating £27 million grant in aid to the travel-to-work areas in the assisted areas of England where new industrial and commercial development is needed to help reduce unemployment. Provisional allocation of resources Ls as follows:
English Industrial Estates Corporation 1983–84 planned resources allocation TTWA £'000 North west Birkenhead 1,722 Blackpool 215 Bolton 646 Lancaster 108 Leigh 215 Liverpool 4,629 Northwich 215 Rochdale 431 Rossendale 215 St. Helens 538 Southport 323 Whitehaven 215 Widnes 538 Wigan 646 Workington 431 North east Central Durham 108 Consett* 2,940 Darlington and south west Durham 215 Hartlepool 646 Morpeth 215 North Tyne 323 South Tyne 1,184 Teesside 1,722 Wearside 1,184 Yorkshire and Humberside Barnsley 215 Bridlington 108 Goole 108 Grimsby 108 Hull 754 Mexborough 431 Rotherham 646 Scunthorpe* 1,960 Whitby 108 South west Fatmouth 108 Helston 108 Ilfracombe 108 Liskeard 108 Newquay 108 Penzance 108 Plymouth 538 Redruth 108 Torbay 215 East midlands Gainsborough 108 Mablethorpe 108 Skegness 108 Total 27,100 * Steel closure area. The corporation intends to spend this money on developments which provide the most effective means of 19W reducing unemployment, and in addition to building advance factories it will consider projects for derelict land clearance, site preparation, workshop units, buildings for high technology industries and office accommodation. Detailed announcements about specific projects will be made by the corporation as appropriate.
The corporation will, as before, be required to make every effort to reduce the net cost of its activities to the Exchequer by selling off existing assets at current market value and placing the proceeds in the Consolidated Fund.