§ 12. Mr. Elystan Morganasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now extend the remit of the Mid-Wales Development Corporation to include other growth towns in Mid-Wales.
§ Mr. Peter ThomasI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 31st January.—[Vol. 830, c. 11.]
§ Mr. MorganDoes not the Secretary of State agree that that reply was singularly unhelpful? It is obvious that the Government have no policy for the development of mid-Wales. With the reorganisation of local government, the Mid-Wales Industrial Development Association will be split among three counties and in most of the towns there will be no body responsible for development. There should be an extension of the corporation under Section 1 11 of the New Towns Act, 1965, or there will be no development at all.
§ Mr. ThomasI disagree with the hon. Gentleman that my reply was not helpful. If he does me the courtesy of looking at the reply that I gave on 31st January, he will find not only that it was helpful but that it set out the varied and important policies being pursued by the Government. As to the other part of his question, I realise that the proposed reorganisation of local government will have an effect on the Mid-Wales Industrial Development Association but I do not accept that the creation of strong local authority units will inhibit the development of industry in Mid-Wales; rather the contrary.