HC Deb 24 October 1984 vol 65 cc634-5W
Mr. Wareing

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his visits to Merseyside on 2 October and 18 October.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin

I visited Merseyside on 2 October 1984 along with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

During the morning, the Prime Minister and I toured some of the housing priority areas in the inner city. This gave the Prime Minister an opportunity to see for herself some of the deplorable housing conditions similar to those I myself had seen on 7 June this year when I toured areas of the city at the invitation of the Liverpool city council.

I then accompanied the Prime Minister to Wavertree technology park for the opening of a "meet the buyers" Technomart exhibition. In the afternoon, the Prime Minister and I met members of the Merseyside county council and Liverpool city council before leaving to view the international garden festival and the Albert dock developments.

With regard to the visit on 19 October I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry), on Tuesday 23 October at c. 552.