§ Q110. Mr. Hefferasked the Prime Minister when she next intends to discuss with Liverpool city council the problems of the area; and what steps she is taking to bring down unemployment in the area.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to hold discussions with the city council. The Government are, of course, concerned about the level of unemployment in Liverpool. No other area in Great Britain receives such high levels of Government assistance. The creation of the Merseyside task force, the Merseyside development corporation, and more recently Britain's first international garden festival and its largest freeport testify to the Government's commitment to the area. But ultimately it is a healthy economy and competitive industry which will provide the new jobs we all want to see. Our policies are 311W directed to this end and we continue to look for ways of building on what has been achieved so far. In the meantime a substantial number of people in the area are benefiting from our special employment and training measures.