§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to support inward investment in the Strangford area, in particular(a) Newtownards and (b) Killyleagh. [82025]
§ Mr. PearsonThe Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, through its Agency Invest Northern Ireland, is actively seeking to attract high quality knowledge-based investment to Northern Ireland. Invest Northern Ireland is working with district councils, including the Ards and Down councils and other local stakeholders to develop regional propositions that will promote the key benefits of those areas. As part of this process Ards council facilitated a meeting last month to develop a sales proposition for the area and follow-up actions are under way.