§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many major companies have located their sites in the North West Region since the formation of the North West Development Agency; and if he will make a statement. [158401]
§ Mr. CabornMy Department does not collect information about companies locating in particular regions. An answer to your specific question would therefore be purely anecdotal and inevitably unrepresentative of the true picture.
However, the North West Development Agency records investments made by overseas owned companies. Since the Agency's formation, there have been 52 investments in the North West region which have each created or safeguarded 100 or more jobs.