LABOUR MP Peter Pike has won a promise from Tony Blair that aid being offered to the West Midlands because of the Rover crisis will also come to East Lancashire where the motor component industry has been hit hard.

The Prime Minister gave the pledge at Question Time in the Commons.

Burnley MP Mr Pike said any help given to Birmingham -- because of job losses and the possible closure of the Longridge plant as a result of BMW's decision to dispose of it -- should also come to his own constituency and its neighbours.

Several motor components companies have announced redundancies, partly as a result of the Rover crisis, including Viktor Achter and the TRW-owned former Lucas plant in Burnley.

Mr Pike said Rover's problems had an effect on constituencies such as his own, where 600 redundancies had already been announced. "That is especially worrying at a time when we, too, are losing assisted area status," he said. "Will you make it clear that whatever hope is given to the West Midlands will ripple to other areas that are affected by job losses in the motor industry?"

Mr Blair replied: "Yes, we certainly see that as our task. When economic structural change affects people's jobs, it is our job as a government to be on their side and to help them through that process of change.

"We cannot prevent some of that change, but we can try to help people through it, help them find new jobs when they lose their jobs, and help to support industry in any way we can."