§ 20. Mr. Elystan Morganasked the Secretary of State for Wales what prospects he is considering for the dispersal of central Government units to mid-Wales in the near future.
§ Mr. Gibson-WattThe claims of mid-Wales will continue to be borne in mind.
§ Mr. MorganSurely the Minister will acknowledge that, with the great difficulties—probably as great as in any region in the United Kingdom—which this region experiences in the attraction resources from the outside should he of industry, it is vitally important that 983 channelled? In the consideration which the Government are giving to the movement of units out of London, is mid-Wales being given priority?
§ Mr. Gibson-WattIt rather depends what the hon. Gentleman means by mid-Wales. If he means the smaller market towns of mid-Wales, there are obvious problems in bringing to them large scale decentralisation of this sort. It is obviously the Government's wish that something shall be done, but I cannot be specific today.
§ Mr. HoosonWill the Minister be a little more specific about this? There are excellent educational facilities in Wales and a dearth of reasonably high-grade jobs. A vast block is going up now in the area of the Newtown development corporation. Is it the intention of the Government to transfer a central government unit, or part of it, to occupy that block?
§ Mr. Gibson-WattI have no announcement to make on that subject today. With regard to the first part of the supplementary question, the university colleges of Aberystwyth and Lampeter provide a valuable diversity of employment.