HC Deb 15 February 1982 vol 18 cc10-1
10. Mr. Hooson

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of the Development Board for Rural Wales.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

On 22 December 1981, when I was able to discuss the board's proposals for expenditure and plans for the coming year.

Mr. Hooson

Will my right hon. Friend give assurances that, prior to any downgrading of regional aid in Mid-Wales for 1982, there will be a further review and that particular attention will be paid to the problems of industry in sparsely populated areas? Will consideration be given to enlarging the legal powers of the Development Board for Rural Wales to compensate for any downgrading?

Mr. Edwards

I confirm that that review will take place and that the matters to which my hon. Friend has referred will be carefully considered. There is no doubt that the DBRW is now carrying out valuable work. It is a sign of the attractiveness of Wales to industry that this January the DBRW allocated factories for about 17 new projects—over 100,000 sq ft. That represents nearly half the amount that was allocated in the whole of last year. That shows the way in which interest in Wales is continuing and accelerating.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

Will the Secretary of State's review include upgrading as well as downgrading?

Mr. Edwards

I do not intend to add to what I said to my hon. Friend. We gave an undertaking that before the downgrading took effect we would review the position, which is exactly what we will do.