§ 11. Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Wales how much of the £25 million earmarked under the Local Employment Acts for the United Kingdom as a whole will be spent in Wales.
§ Mr. Peter ThomasThe amount to be spent in Wales will depend upon the response from industry and local authorities.
§ Mr. KinnockWhile thanking the right hon. and learned Gentleman for that answer, may I ask whether he will assure us that it will be far in excess of the £1.9 million that the last Conservative Administration spent? Is he aware that even if the whole £25 million were spent in Wales, it would still be inadequate compared with the sum 927 spent by the last Government? Will he assure us that after the first year of operation of the new scheme he will compare it with the last full year under the Labour Administration to ensure that at least as much is spent?
§ Mr. Peter ThomasThe money is extra money, and I have no doubt that Wales will have its fair share of it.
§ Sir A. MeyerWill my right hon. and learned Friend remember that it is a mistake to equate the expenditure of money with the provision of jobs, as the last Administration did? Will he bear in mind that the highest unemployment rate is not necessarily in areas which have development area status?
§ Mr. Peter ThomasMy hon. Friend is right. The record of the previous Government should indicate to those who are concerned about Wales that the policies of right hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite were not very effective.
§ Mr. George ThomasIs the Minister aware that what he has just said is untrue? Is he further aware that there are 70,000 Welsh men and women who are working in Wales today only because Government money was put into building Government factories there?
§ Mr. Peter ThomasI am also aware that when the right hon. Gentleman left office there were 55,000 fewer men in employment in Wales than there were in 1964.