HC Deb 06 December 1976 vol 922 cc4-5
3. Sir A. Meyer

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a visit to North-East Wales.

Mr. John Morris

I have no immediate plans to do so.

Sir A. Meyer

Is the Secretary of State aware that if he were to come to Mold next Friday he would find hon. Members from Clwyd and Merseyside grappling with the appalling problems of unemployment caused by the failure of his Government to tackle inflation in good time? Does not this co-operation between Clwyd and Merseyside make nonsense of the priority accorded by the Government to the setting up of a Welsh Assembly, which will make no contribution whatever to solving the urgent problems of Wales?

Mr. Morris

I shall reserve to a later stage my comments on the last part of the hon. Gentleman's question. I regret that I cannot be in Mold next Friday, because I shall be in my own constituency. But I always recognise the value of co-operation in dealing with unemployment problems. I am sure that even the hon. Gentleman would not blame this Government for the recent decision of Courtaulds.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman accept that many of us were disappointed that he was unable to visit Clwyd last week because of his engagement with the publication of the Scotland and Wales Bill? Will he assure the House that he will visit Clwyd in the very near future and that, before doing so, he will read the recent economic review published by the county council, which estimates a job need of at least 40,000 in the next 10 years? When he next comes to Clwyd, will he also take the opportunity of talking to some of the redundant workers in milk processing in my constituency?

Mr. Morris

I do not know how far the hon. Gentleman is familiar with the problems of Clwyd, for the greater part of which he is not the Member. I assure him that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State keeps me in close touch with the major problems of Clwyd. I regret that I was unable to carry out an engagement there last week, but, as the hon. Gentleman kindly said, I was engaged with the publication of the devolution Bill, the importance of which I am sure he appreciates.