§ Q5. Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Prime Minister if he will give his reasons for not transferring the functions in Wales of the Board of Trade to the Welsh Office.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales already has oversight within Wales of the execution there of the Board of Trade's national policy. While I am naturally always considering whether any changes are needed, my present view is that there is advantage to Welsh economic development in the retention of the administrative link between the Board of Trade's present services in Wales and its central and regional services elsewhere.
§ Mr. EvansDoes the Prime Minister seriously believe that the present system is a success in Wales, when there are 10,000 fewer men at work now than there were 10 years ago? Is he aware that there are something like another 1 million in England? Despite the trumpetings about State-owned industry, the State-owned industry established since 1964 employs only 226 men? Is it not time that the Government resigned from Wales? We will leave them to the English.
§ The Prime MinisterI am not responsible for the whole of the 10 years described by the hon. Gentleman, but I assure him that I believe this to be the right system. The attraction of new industry to Wales depends not only on what is done by the Welsh Office, but also by the Board of Trade, in diverting factories that might otherwise settle in more congested parts of the country. He asks about failure of policy. In 1963 4.2 per cent. of the industrial development certificates issued in Great Britain went to Wales; 1964, 5.5 per cent.; 1965, 7.3 per cent.; and in the first three-quarters of last year 14.1 per cent—more than three times as many.