West Cumbria

Oral Answers to Questions — Industry – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 20 July 1981.

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Photo of Mr Dale Campbell-Savours Mr Dale Campbell-Savours , Workington 12:00, 20 July 1981

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received during the last month from leaders of West Cumbrian industry about industry in the area.

Photo of Mr Dale Campbell-Savours Mr Dale Campbell-Savours , Workington

Has the Minister received correspondence from the district councils and the county authority about the special development area status that we lost last year? In the light of the unprecedented level of unemployment, will he during the Recess either go himself or send one of his colleagues to West Cumbria to discuss with the local authorities the possible restoration of SDA status, specifically in the light of British Steel's recent redundancies?

Photo of Mr Norman Tebbit Mr Norman Tebbit , Waltham Forest Chingford

I gave the hon. Gentleman the answer to the question that he tabled. He now puts another question to me because he did not like that answer. Indeed, I have received representations from the local authorities. I have pointed out in reply that in my view the present status of the area is correct, and that Government action or subsidies do not create jobs but that they are created by the action of work people and management on the spot. I hoped that the hon. Gentleman might have learnt his lesson from the fact that it was due to the co-operation of Leyland's work force in his constituency that the Titan bus line was transferred there as opposed to the places where the work forces were less co-operative.

Photo of Dr Jack Cunningham Dr Jack Cunningham Shadow Spokesperson (Business, Innovation and Skills), Shadow Spokesperson (Industry)

Will the Minister of State think again about the answer that he has just given? Under this Administration, West Cumbria has lost special development area status. It has suffered grievious closures in the steel industry, and in two small district authorities—Copeland and Allerdale—unemployment is unacceptably high, even by the Minister's standards. Is the Minister aware that such places have small resources, and representations would welcome the opportunity to discuss with him his ideas, which we might not accept, to try to find some way out of the unemployment morass?

Photo of Mr Norman Tebbit Mr Norman Tebbit , Waltham Forest Chingford

I do not wish to be unsympathetic. My right hon. Friend Lord Trenchard has met representatives and visited the area. It must be said that there are brighter signs in the local economy in that area. For example, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., Thames Board Mills and Leyland National are expanding in the Workington area. There are ample advance factories in the area. It is up to local people to make the effort to be more attractive to would-be employers and investors.

Photo of Sir Archie Hamilton Sir Archie Hamilton , Epsom and Ewell

Does my hon. Friend accept that if the Opposition had their way virtually every town in the country would have special development area status?

Photo of Mr Norman Tebbit Mr Norman Tebbit , Waltham Forest Chingford

Indeed, and the call for ever higher Government expenditure goes ill with the call made earlier by the hon. Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Park) for lower interest rates.