HC Deb 02 August 1976 vol 916 cc1189-90
6. Mr. Michael Marshall

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received following his statement in the House on 19th July regarding steel investment in Wales.

Mr. Kaufman

My right hon. Friend and I have received a number of representations. Among them was a letter from the Shotton Steelworkers Action Committee, which expressed its support for the decision that my right hon. Friend announced in his statement and for the way the Government have been conducting the closures review.

Mr. Marshall

Will the Minister of State confirm that among the representations he received was a letter from the President of the Metallurgical Plant-makers Association in which he said that the decision to offer half the money required for Port Talbot was industrial nonsense? Will he further confirm that the MPA made it clear that because of delays and inaction by the Government the threat of unemployment looms in South Yorkshire and in the North-East?

Mr. Kaufman

That is a broad paraphrase of the letter. I shall be discussing these matters with the organisation.

The hon. Gentleman will be pleased to know that the Shotton Steelworkers Action Committee told my hon. Friend that it wished to thank him not only for the way in which the review of Shotton's case was carried out but for the decision itself. The writer of the letter from the action committee added: May I also take this opportunity to thank you and the Labour Party for your co-operation and for the honouring of your pre-election promises regarding the 10-year strategy on steel.

Sir A. Meyer

Commercials apart, is the hon. Gentleman aware that he has raised very high hopes in the North-East by undertaking to reconsider the whole basis of the comparison of costs between Port Talbot and Shotton? Is he also aware that the figures on which the reexamination will be conducted have not significantly altered during the last two years and that any decision reached could have been reached two years ago?

Mc. Kaufman

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for saying that we have raised high hopes. He ought to sort himself out with the hon. Member for City of Chester (Mr. Morrison) who said that our decision was a "thumbs-down" for Shotton.