HC Deb 23 May 1977 vol 932 cc997-9
9. Sir A. Meyer

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is satisfied with present Government regional policies as they affect Wales.

Mr. John Morris

Yes, Sir.

Sir A. Meyer

I am glad that the Secretary of State is so pleased. Is he aware that there is dismay in my constituency at the already visible consequences of being deprived of regional incentives that are available to every adjoining area and that, in view of the catastrophic employment situation in my constituency, he must devise some measures of direct aid even if, for the time being, we cannot have full development area status?

Mr. Morris

I know that the hon. Gentleman wants even wider development area status—[Interruption.] It seems that does not; he rejects it. Perhaps he forgets that Mold, which is in his constituency, comes within the new development area. I have gone to the trouble of reading his famous speech about Slough, in which he advocated bigger and better Sloughs for Welshmen who might have to be exported because of the lack of employment. He said, about the granting of development area status: All that this does is to shift puddles of unemployment from one place to another, rather like councils in South-East England trying to move gipsies from the area of one council into the area of an adjoining council."—[Official Report, Welsh Grand Committee. 28th April 1971; c. 30.] I hope that the hon. Gentleman will consult the Clwyd County Council, which, much as it welcomes the Government's recent statement, is advocating greater development area status.

Mr. Tom Ellis

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that many people, not only in Wales and Scotland but in the regions of England, are becoming aware of the advantages likely to accrue to Wales in terms of political clout and regional development by the establishment of the Welsh Assembly? Will he urge on his right hon. Friends the need to institute the Assembly as soon as possible?

Mr. Morris

I am sure that my hon. Friend will await the statement in due course by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council.

Mr. Grist

The right hon. and learned Gentleman has quoted the speech of my hon. Friend the Member for Flint, West (Sir A. Meyer). Will he remember what he said in his last election address, to the effect that without jobs there was no reason for young people to stay in Wales? What does he have to say about that now?

Mr. Morris

The Government, faced with one of the deepest recessions that the world has experienced for a long time, are using every weapon at their disposal to ensure that there are jobs in Wales.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman consider the powerful speech made on this subject last week by my hon. Friend the Member for Flint, West (Sir A. Meyer), in which he drew attention to the anomoly that tourist aid is confined to development areas and that the needs of tourism should be separately identified and should not necessarily coincide with the industrial arguments, and the case advanced on that occasion by the Minister about the industrial needs of the area?

Mr. Morris

I am sure that that can be looked at. I read the hon. Gentleman's speech and the reply. It can be pursued to see whether anything can be done. However, I assure the hon. Gentleman that we are doing what we can to help his area, and so is the Welsh Development Agency. I give as examples the recent announcement about derelict land schemes and that organisation taking a share in a company in the Rhyl area. We wrote in December to Rhuddlan council about the development of the Rhyl promenade and its application for European aid. We are still awaiting an answer.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman accept that the announcement that he made two years ago about special development area status for parts of Gwynedd has had a minimal effect on the employment problems of the area? There are still 10 empty advance factories in my constituency.

Mr. Morris

I am deeply aware of that. No one is more conscious than I of the need to look at every possible opportunity to see what further can be done with regard to special development areas. In the Budget the Chancellor announced one part of the help, which I think will be valued in due course.

Sir A. Meyer

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Secretary of State's reply. I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.