asked the Minister of Technology what steps he will take to encourage industry to Redditch New Town.

We are prepared to approve applications for industrial development certificates for the reasonable expansion of local firms and for firms moving to Redditch New Town from the West Midlands conurbation under the overspill arrangements, if the projects concerned could not be expected to go to a development or intermediate area.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that reply. Is he aware how unsatisfactory and expensive it is for people to commute from new towns into big conurbations? Will he pursue the matter as hard as he can to ensure that i.d.c.s are granted in all new towns, and particularly in Redditch?

We are endeavouring to keep the number of jobs provided roughly in line with the expansion of housing in the new towns. I believe that we have so far succeeded, and we shall continue to try to do so.