§ Mr. Cranasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what were the detailed objectives of the Northern Development Company; and what progress in quantifiable terms has been made in reaching these.
§ Mr. AtkinsThis is the first full year of operation of the Northern Development Company, a partnership of regional self-help between industry and commerce, the local authorities and the regional TUC. Its objectives are to promote and market the region, and assist its economic development by encouraging enterprise. It subsumes the 889W inward investment promotion activities of the former North of England Development Council. It is too early to quantify results, but progress to date has been encouraging.