PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
HEALTH AND EDUCATION PROBLEMS IN WEST CUMBRIA (18 November 1994)

That this House notes that West Cumbria has amongst the lowest proportion of young people going into higher education in the country despite otherwise high levels of academic achievement; believes that educational disadvantage in West Cumbria is being sorely aggravated by the unresolved dispute at West Cumbria College; calls upon the Principal to enter into meaningful negotiations with the staff as a matter of urgency before more damage is done; condemns developments in health care in West Cumbria whereby inadequate funding of consultants and other health service requirements has meant that patients are being invited to jump waiting lists by using private treatment, enabling the West Cumbria Health Care Trust to secure additional income for both itself and its consultants; notes the recent Newcastle University report 'Health and Inequality: the Northern Region 1981-1991' which highlighted severe health difficulties in West Cumbria in particular on the Ewanrigg estate in Maryport where death rates for those aged under 65 and 75 per cent higher than the national average; questions the ability of West Cumbria Development Agency to attract industry to West Cumbria in conditions of reduced government assistance; utterly refutes the Government's argument that Cumbria can successfully attract industry without development area status or other equally effective measures; believes that West Cumbria is experiencing an extremely difficult period in its history; and believes that the stoic response of West Cumbrians and the determination of local people to win through requires a matched response from government in the formulation of very different policies.

Sponsored by:
Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour)