GOVERNMENT Ministers are to consider what can be done to help Rolls Royce and the troubled aerospace industry in East Lancashire.

Yesterday Pendle MP Gordon Prentice told Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt of the moves that Rolls believe could help.

His meeting in the Commons with Mrs Hewitt followed a summit with company bosses 24 hours earlier to discuss redundancies at the firm, including 295 in Barnoldswick.

Pendle MP Mr Prentice asked Mrs Hewitt to review the Export Credit Guarantee Scheme, to try and bring forward Ministry of Defence orders for RAF aircraft, and to provide more Government money for research and development in the aerospace industry.

Mr Prentice said: "She promised to consider the points I put to her on behalf of Rolls. She will discuss them with other Ministers."