HC Deb 02 July 1973 vol 859 cc10-1
11. Mr. Cledwyn Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ask the Welsh Council to study the Hardman Report as it affects Wales and advise him as to its conclusions on it.

Mr. Peter Thomas

I would welcome the views of all interested parties on this report.

Mr. Hughes

That does not answer my Question. Is the Minister proposing to refer this matter to the Welsh Council? Will he say whether he is satisfied with the recommendations of the Hardman Report? Is he aware that the report was received with great disappointment in Wales, particularly in North Wales, bearing in mind that the Labour Government were able to disperse 11,000 jobs to Wales in a comparatively short period? Is the Minister aware that a few hundred jobs in North Wales, where unemployment is extraordinarily high, would be a great easement in that area? Will he impress that point upon his right hon. Friends in the Government?

Mr. Peter Thomas

I was certainly attempting to answer the right hon. Gentleman's Question. What I was saying was that the Government welcome the comments of all interested bodies, including the Welsh Council, if they wish to make observations on the report. Final decisions on the recommendations will not be made until there has been an opportunity for all the comments to be considered.

As to North Wales, I am fully aware of the claims of North Wales to a share in dispersal. The reasons for Sir Henry coming to his recommendations are fully set out in his report. North Wales will now have a further opportunity to express its views on the matter.

Sir A. Meyer

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that in my constituency, so far from receiving anything from the Hardman Report, despite our obvious attractions as an area of dispersion, we are, on the contrary, threatened with a loss of Civil Service jobs if the proposal to close Kimmel Camp goes ahead?

Mr. Peter Thomas

Yes, I am aware of the matter which my hon. Friend raises. I am also aware of the reports made by Flintshire on that matter.

Mr. George Thomas

We realise that the Secretary of State is aware of all these things, but once again we must ask whether he will make it clear to his colleagues in the Government that this report is just not good enough to meet the problems of Wales. The fact that 11,000 jobs, as recommended in the report, would go to the overcrowded South-East while only 4,000 jobs would come to Wales is a disgrace. Cardiff itself could gobble up those 4,000 jobs and still be in need of more jobs.

Mr. Peter Thomas

The recommendation of the Hardman Report is that 5,500 jobs should be allocated to Wales and to the Cardiff-Newport area.

I do not wish to comment on the details of the report until everyone has had the opportunity of expressing his views and the Government have considered the matter. I welcome the report as a valuable contribution to public debate on dispersal. I am firmly convinced that in the future Wales will do well as a location for dispersal staff.