asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has approved any plans by the English Industrial Estates Corporation for further public investment in the assisted areas of England over the next year.
I have approved provisional proposals by the chairman of the English Industrial Estates Corporation for further industrial and commercial developments in the assisted areas of England using the £34·3 million that the Government have agreed to make available to the corporation in the current financial year. The corporation will, as before, be required to make every effort to reduce the net costs of this programme to the Exchequer by selling off existing assets at current market values and placing the proceeds in the Consolidated Fund.This level of finance will be equivalent to 159,000 square metres of factory space which could provide places of work for about 4,000 workers. The sum includes £4·6 million which is part of the £19 million special allocation for steel closure areas which was announced on 19 June 1980; but it does not include any private sector investment of which £30 million has been promised so far with £11·5 million spent to date, and any further sums which the English Industrial Estates Corporation may attract.The provisional allocations of resources are as follows:
| English Industrial Estates Corporation 1982–83 planned resources allocation | ||
| Region and TTWA | £'000 | Notional equivalent area of factory floor-space m2 |
| North West | ||
| Wigan | 969 | 4,500 |
| Liverpool | 6,674 | 31,000 |
| Birkenhead | 2,368 | 11,000 |
| St. Helens | 646 | 3,000 |
| Southport | 323 | 1,500 |
| Widnes | 861 | 4,000 |
| Blackpool | 215 | 1,000 |
| Lancaster | 108 | 500 |
| Whitehaven | 215 | 1,000 |
| Workington | 538 | 2,500 |
| Total North West | 12,917 | 60,000 |
Region and TTWA
| £'000
| Notional equivalent area of factory floor-space m2
|
North East
| ||
| Morpeth | 215 | 1,000 |
| North Tyne | 430 | 2,000 |
| South Tyne | 1,722 | 8,000 |
| Wearside | 1,722 | 8,000 |
| Teeside | 3,014 | 14,000 |
| Consett* | 2,760 | 12,800 |
| Hartlepool | 861 | 4,000 |
| Darlington/SW Durham | 215 | 1,000 |
| Central Durham | 108 | 500 |
| Total North East | 11,047 | 51,300 |
Yorkshire and Humberside
| ||
| Scarborough | 108 | 500 |
| Whitby | 108 | 500 |
| Bridlington | 108 | 500 |
| Scunthorpe* | 1,840 | 8,550 |
| Goole | 108 | 500 |
| Grimsby | 215 | 1,000 |
| Hull | 1,292 | 6,000 |
| Barnsley | 431 | 2,000 |
| Doncaster | 969 | 4,500 |
| Maltby | 108 | 500 |
| Mexborough | 646 | 3,000 |
| Rotherham | 753 | 3,500 |
| Bradford | 1,076 | 5,000 |
| Total Yorkshire and Humberside | 7,762 | 36,050 |
South West
| ||
| Liskeard | 108 | 500 |
| Redruth | 108 | 500 |
| Falmouth | 215 | 1,000 |
| Helston | 215 | 1,000 |
| Launceston | 108 | 500 |
| Newquay | 108 | 500 |
| Penzance | 108 | 500 |
| Plymouth | 861 | 4,000 |
| Torbay | 322 | 1,500 |
| Ilfracombe | 108 | 500 |
| Total South West | 2,261 | 10,500 |
East Midlands
| ||
| Gainsborough | 108 | 500 |
| Mablethorpe | 108 | 500 |
| Skegness | 108 | 500 |
| Total East Midlands | 324 | 1,500 |
| Grand total all regions | 34,311 | 159,350 |
* Steel closure areas. | ||
Detailed announcements about specific projects will be made by the corporation as appropriate.