HC Deb 13 July 1981 vol 8 cc785-6
6. Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what assistance has been given by his Department and the Welsh Development Agency to the Datsun company in its assessment of South Wales, and the Newport area in particular, for the location of its proposed plant.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

I am satisfied that Nissan has been given a comprehensive and effective presentation on what Wales, including the Newport area, has to offer.

Mr. Hughes

Does the right hon. Gentleman recognise that he is not exactly earning himself the accolade of salesman of the year in his efforts to bring the Datsun project to Wales? Is he not rather giving the impression of selling Wales short? Would he not be better employed in illustrating the potential of Newport, with its motorway network, its docks and its efficient steelworks, and in urging a fourth river crossing to tie up with the building of the Severn link road?

Mr. Edwards

I have spent a great deal of time and effort in Japan and in this country in putting over all the advantages that the Welsh sites have to offer to the Nissan management. But it is a good idea on these occasions to be realistic. We have no inherent, built-in advantage. We have to make sure that we provide all the services that we possibly can to the company and give it all the information that it requires.

If the hon. Gentleman is suggesting that Newport is self-evidently the chosen site—I do not know what Nissan will decide—I can assure him, as I have remarked to the press in North Wales, that many people on Deesicle will take a wholly different view.

Mr. Hooson

In view of the large existing Japanese investment in Wales, have my right hon. Friend and his officials ensured that the experience of Japanese companies already in Wales has been brought to the attention of the Nissan company?

Mr. Edwards

We have, of course, given very full presentations. I spent several hours in Japan discussing this matter with the vice-president of the company responsible for the investment. I was present at meetings of the Keidanren—the Japanese equivalent of the CBI—at which all these points were brought out. Incidentally, helpful and constructive remarks were made by John Griffiths, who was then chairman of the Wales TUC.