HC Deb 30 June 1980 vol 987 cc1063-4
3. Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received about the reduction in the work force in the textile industry in East Flint.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

The hon. Gentleman has referred to the difficulties in the textile industry on a number of occasions in the House, and local authorities in the area have expressed concern about employment prospects.

Mr. Jones

Will the Secretary of State urgently consider locating a major job project in Flint, bearing in mind the recent loss of 7,000 steel jobs and the fact that Courtaulds currently employ only 1,000 people, compared with the post-war peak figure of 10,000? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Flint has a male unemployment rate of about 36 per cent., and that hundreds of young people are seeking jobs, often son against father? Is he aware also that the Deeside mill is fighting for its life, partly because of the Government's policy over the high pound, high interest rates and cheap subsidised imports?

Mr. Edwards

As the hon. Gentleman is aware, Flint is part of a wider travel-to-work area, so the overall rate is not as high as he indicates. I have just announced a major new programme of advance factories, 140,000 sq ft of which will be in the Deeside industrial park. There will be 50,000 sq ft at Wrexham and 30,000 sq ft at Bagillt. That illustrates that there is a major programme of advance factory building in that part of Wales. I remind the hon. Gentleman that the Point of Ayr project should provide useful assistance to the area, and I am sure that he will be glad to know that the British Celanese investment should secure employment in Wrexham.

Sir Anthony Meyer

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the problems to which the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mr. Jones) draws attention extend also to my constituency and are very grave? Is he further aware that the problems of the textile industry are exceedingly complex and that demands from the Labour Benches for indiscriminate import controls are often unhelpful? Does my right hon. Friend accept that the export trade is valuable to this industry, and should be balanced against the threat from imports?

Mr. Edwards

My hon. Friend's comments confirm the importance of working under the existing GATT multi-fibre arrangement to control imports from low-cost sources. We have undertaken to ensure that those arrangements are implemented effectively and quickly.

Dr. Roger Thomas

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the footwear industry is also hard hit by the dumping of foreign products?

Mr. Speaker

Order. This question relates to the textile industry.