GORDON Prentice is quizzing Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers to ensure that the government's £250million launch aid for the new generation of Rolls Royce Trent engines secures jobs in East Lancashire.

This week's decision to give the aero engine company the money has been welcomed as it should safeguard more than 7,000 jobs in the UK.

But Labour MP Mr Prentice is concerned that the company, which is threatening more major job losses, may take the money and still shift work abroad.

He is particularly concerned to protect employment at the Rolls fan blade manufacturing plant at Barnoldswick in his constituency.

If the new engines are a success -- as Rolls Royce is confident they will be -- the government gets back its money, plus interest.

Mr Prentice said: "This huge injection of cash is great news for Barnoldswick and for Pendle.

"But government cash on this scale must be tied to a UK jobs guarantee. I want to know what conditions are attached to this money. I want to see jobs in Britain -- not highly skilled work transferred overseas."

"Rolls Royce has an enormous order book and common sense would suggest this translates into secure jobs here in the UK.

"But experience shows that in a globalised world it is very easy, perhaps too easy, for companies to transfer production to cheaper places overseas. So far as I am concerned that high-tech, leading edge work has to be done in the UK."