HC Deb 28 July 1980 vol 989 cc1036-8
17. Mr. Alan Williams

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends next to meet the Council for the Principality to discuss the economic situation in Wales.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

I have no present plans to do so.

Mr. Williams

When the Secretary of State eventually meets the Council will he explain how 60,000 redundancies—1,000 a week since the Government came to office—in some mysterious way improve our economic prospects? As he says that the Prime Minister's blunder was not a blunder, and that mobility was meant to be within Wales—although some was meant to be within Britain—will he say clearly where in Wales should the unemployed go to find jobs? If he thinks that they should go outside Wales, will he say where?

Mr. Edwards

The right hon. Gentleman appears to ignore entirely the fact that, although the unemployment figures are too high, a large number of people are going into new jobs every day of the week. Of those on the unemployment register, only a proportion are on it for long periods. He should not seek to give the impression that there are not job opportunities in Wales, as in other parts of Britain.

Sir Anthony Meyer

Is not unemployment a widespread phenomenon throughout the industrial world? Are not the countries best placed to deal with it those that have mastered their inflation? Are not the regions best qualified to attract new industries those that show the greatest readiness to adapt to new conditions?

Mr. Edwards

I am absolutely certain that that is right. Because great change is taking place in Wales at present, because we are preparing the industrial sites and providing the industrial locations on an unprecedented scale, and because we have excellent communications, I feel sure that many new jobs will be created in Wales in the coming year.

Mr. Williams

Will the Secretary of State now give us an answer to one simple, straightforward question? Where in Wales is there such a surplus of vacancies over unemployed that it is desirable that the unemployed from other parts of Wales should move into those areas?

Mr. Edwards

Earlier this afternoon I was asked a question about Bridgend. There are new expansion projects taking place on those industrial estates—at Ford, Sony and elsewhere—that are at present providing job opportunities for those outside the immediate locality. There are many other examples. There are the factories that have been filled in the constituency of the hon. Member for Cardigan (Mr. Howells), and the factories that are being filled at the heads of the valleys. The right hon. Gentleman will be doing a grave disservice—to be added to the many others that he has rendered—if he suggests that there are not job opportunities for people in Wales.