§ 47. Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why he has excluded Amble from regional development status under his recently announced proposals.
§ Mr. Norman LamontAmble is part of the Alnwick and Amble travel-to-work area. That area certainly has an unemployment rate which is above the national average, but this is true of many areas which are not included in the new assisted areas map. Furthermore, in reaching decisions on the new map, we took account not just of employment but of a number of other factors, too. On the overall criteria used for making comparisons with the country generally, the Alnwick and Amble travel-to-work area did not justify assisted area status.