§ 8. Mr. McBrideasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to make a Ministerial broadcast on B.B.C. Wales and Harlech Television.
§ Mr. Peter ThomasI have no immediate plans to make a Ministerial broadcast. My hon. Friend the Minister of State and I give many interviews on both sound and T.V. channels in Wales and hope to continue to do so.
§ Mr. McBrideIs the Secretary of State aware that such a forecast on the Common Market could give the Welsh people facts and figures from the officials of the Welsh Office who visited the E.E.C. headquarters in Brussels, facts which have never been revealed to this House? Does he accept that Wales is seriously worried about the matter of investment and the consequent lack of employment and reduction in the standard of living if we join the Common Market? Does he not agree that his failure to give these facts is a clear abdication of his responsibility to the Welsh people?
§ Mr. Peter ThomasNo, Sir ; I would not agree. I have already expressed the view that entry into an enlarged European Economic Community would give Britain new economic opportunities and substantial advantages and that Wales would share in these ; it also would enable us to deal more effectively with regional development, and, therefore, Wales should benefit
§ Mr. Roy HughesWill not such a Ministerial broadcast give the Secretary of State the opportunity to explain to the 1,600 steel workers who have been made redundant in Wales in the last 12 months, and the many hundreds more who are to be made redundant in the next two years about the job opportunities that may exist for them in Western Germany if we are unfortunate enough to join the Common Market?
§ Mr. Peter ThomasI am sure the hon. Gentleman was pleased and relieved to hear the views expressed by Lord Melchett and the other B.S.C. leaders about the advantages to the British steel industry if we join an enlarged Community.