asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how many applications for information of an industrial or service development nature his Department has received in the North-West region during the last month; and how many of these his Department has referred to the Cumbria county council's industrial development unit;(2) how many steering location inquiries have been received in the North-West region of his Department; and, of these, how many have been referred to the Cumbria county council industrial development unit during the last month for which statistics are available.
In January 1982, 636 inquiries of an industrial or commercial development nature were received by the North-West regional office, of which 532 related to selective financial assistance and 17 to creation of new enterprises. None of these enquiries was specifically referred to the Cumbria county council's industrial development unit but it is normal practice to ensure that whenever appropriate inquirers are aware of the services provided by the Cumbria county council's industrial development unit.
The small firms service in the North-West region received some 2,520 inquiries in January 1981, many of which would have been concerned with information of an industrial or service development nature: Information on whether any of the inquirers were referred to the Cumbria county council industrial development unit is not recorded.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total area of industrial floor space allocated for industrial or service trade occupancy by the English Industrial Estates Corporation in each of the travel-to-work areas in (a) Cumbria, (b) the Northern region and (c) the North-West region for the last month for which statistics are available.
During the month of January, 1982, the English Industrial Estates Corporation allocated the following floor space, subject to contract:
| Sq. metres | |
| Cumbria | |
| Workington | 135 (2 units) |
| North-East region | |
| Berwick | 1,452 (1 unit) |
| North Tyne | 258 (1 unit) |
| South Tyne | 530 (2 units) |
| Wearside | 149 (1 unit) |
| Teeside | 4,430 (5 units) |
| Hartlepool | 6,140 (6 units) |
| North-west Durham | 200 (2 units) |
| South-east Durham | 297 (2 units) |
| Central Durham | 255 (1 unit) |
| Total North-East region | 13,711 (21 units) |
| North-West region, excluding Cumbria | |
| Widnes | 92 (2 units) |
| Ashton-under-Lyne | 912 (1 unit) |
| Nelson | 460 (2 units) |
| Liverpool | 682 (3 units) |
| Birkenhead | 1,318 (5 units) |
| Total North-West region, excluding Cumbria | 3,464 (13 units) |