Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Alison Seabeck Excerpts
Thursday 27th October 2011

(12 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Greg Clark Portrait Greg Clark
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A visit to the English riviera is an enticing invitation, and I will be delighted to go there. My hon. Friend is right to say that connectivity is a concern for all coastal communities, and I know that he is waiting for a decision on the south Devon link road. I cannot pre-empt that, but I think I will go by train this time to avoid any delays.

Alison Seabeck Portrait Alison Seabeck (Plymouth, Moor View) (Lab)
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Will the right hon. Gentleman place in the Library a copy of the advice he received from BIS officials—not DCLG officials—on the historical disadvantages that seaside towns and cities face, particularly those relating to access and business failures? Clearly the advice was not forceful enough, because neither Torbay nor Plymouth was successful in this round of bids for local enterprise zones, as he well knows.

Greg Clark Portrait Greg Clark
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As the hon. Lady knows, we have had discussions about Plymouth. I very much hope that all the representatives of Plymouth will join in putting together an area to attract business that is very much in keeping with the enterprise zone proposal. Of course I will put together a package of the research and make it available to her.