HC Deb 15 March 1982 vol 20 cc7-8
7. Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he next contemplates meeting EEC Commissioners in Brussels to discuss employment in Wales.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

I have no immediate plans for such discussions so soon after my visit in January.

Mr. Hughes

Is it not time that the right hon. Gentleman reminded the Commissioners that manufacturing jobs in Wales have dropped by a quarter during the past 10 years that we have been members of the Common Market? Will he also take into consideration the millions of pounds that we have paid to the Common Market in membership contributions? Does he agree that had that money been available to attract firms, we could have brought thousands of jobs to Wales?

Mr. Edwards

As I have already pointed out, there would be no way of attracting jobs if we could not provide markets. The EEC provides by far the most substantial market. It is astonishing that the hon. Gentleman, whose constituency will benefit most from our membership, should take that line at a time when the British steel industry is utterly dependent on the coherent and cohesive steel policy now being followed in Europe and when important firms such as Mitel are establishing themselves close by.

Sir Anthony Meyer

Will my right hon. Friend explain to the hon. Member for Newport (Mr. Hughes) a few elementary facts about Britain's overseas trade: that we have always been in deficit with other manufacturing areas with which we have traded; that our coverage of imports by exports is better with the EEC than with either the United States or Japan; and that to conduct trade on a purely bilateral basis is no kind of policy for a country such as ours which is dependent on world trade?

Mr. Edwards

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. One of the most encouraging and striking features of the past several years has been the improvement in our export performance with countries in Western Europe.

Mr. Rowlands

The right hon. Gentleman cannot possibly agree with the inaccuracies of the hon. Member for Flint, West (Sir A. Meyer). Has his Department estimated the loss of manufacturing jobs in Wales as a result of the large manufacturing deficit between the EEC and the United Kingdom in the last two years? Will he put a figure on that for Wales? My constituency has certainly lost jobs as a result of those manufacturing imports, and it has 300, 000 sq. ft. of empty factory space to show for it.

Mr. Edwards

There is no evidence for the view that Hoover's lack of competitiveness can be attributed to the Common Market. Indeed, it is likely that we would still have faced severe competition from Europe had we remained outside the Market, without the opportunities that membership provides. The people of Wales should note the concerted hostility of the official Opposition to membership of the EEC, which provides the best opportunity there is for new job creation in Wales.