§ Mr. Bernie GrantTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the relative position of Tottenham as regards unemployment levels; what assessment she has made of the extent of structural unemployment; and what consideration has been given to its designation as an assisted area.
§ Mr. McLoughlinMeaningful comparisons of unemployment between areas with different sized work forces can be based only on unemployment rates. However, official unemployment rate estimates are not available at the level of parliamentary constituencies.
The criteria for designating assisted areas are published in the consultation paper "Regional Policy—Review of the Assisted Areas of Great Britain", which is available in the Library.
604WAll areas are being considered in the assisted areas review, the results of which will he announced as early as possible taking account of the outcome of the coal review and after necessary clearance from the European Commission.