To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect of regional selective assistance in the Bury/Bolton travel-towork area.

Since 1982–83, 82 projects with total project costs of £48–4 million have been supported by regional selective assistance in the Bury-Bolton travel-to-work area. The amount of grant accepted was £6·1 million and at the time the offer was accepted the projects were expected to create a total of 1,520 new jobs and safeguard a further 1,364.