§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his latest assessment of the contribution made by local authorities to tackling unemployment by encouraging new ventures and supporting firms in difficulty.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkLocal authorities can, if they use their powers wisely, play a valuable role in fostering economic activity appropriate to their areas and thus help 133W generate employment opportunities. But if such efforts are at the expense of excessive rate increases the viability of local businesses may suffer.