§ Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, in view of the fact that unemployment in the Alnwick and Amble areas is now over 19 per cent., he will consider restoring development area status to these areas.
§ Mr. MacGregorThere are no absolute levels of unemployment at which the status of an assisted area is revised. Unemployment is one of several factors which are taken into account and the position of each area is 205W considered relative to other assisted areas and the rest of the country. On present evidence I am satisfied that intermediate area status is the appropriate assisted area category for the Alnwick travel-to-work area, but I shall keep the matter under scrutiny.