§ 4. Mr. Ioan Evansasked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest figures of the number of people unemployed in Wales, Mid-Glamorgan and Aberdare; and what percentage of the working population are unemployed in these areas.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsOn 15 April 1982 unemployment in Wales totalled 171,349, in Mid-Glamorgan 32,815 and in Aberdare 3,866, giving unemployment rates of 16.1 per cent., 17 per cent. and 17.8 per cent., respectively.
§ Mr. EvansThese are record figures for Wales. Is it not a fact that Wales has the highest regional 632 unemployment in Great Britain? Will the right hon. Gentleman consider urgently the need to restore special development area status for the areas that lost that assistance following the Government's review? Does he realise that at the Lady Windsor Lodge pit there were over 450 applications for 15 vacancies? When will the Government create an upturn in the economy that will provide jobs for young people?
§ Mr. EdwardsUnquestionably, these unemployment figure are too high. I am glad to say that they have not risen as fast as the figures for England. I am also glad to say that April was the third consecutive month when vacancies increased. Unfilled vacancies have also been increasing. April was the fourth consecutive month when unfilled vacancies increased. That is another indication that we are moving out of the worst of the recession.
§ Sir Anthony MeyerIs my right hon. Friend aware that, despite the growing misgiving of the Welsh TUC, the Welsh Labour Party has reaffirmed its intention of taking Britain out of the EEC, thus threatening to kick in the groin the Welsh economic recovery, which is only now just beginning?
§ Mr. EdwardsYes. I noted that, by that decision over the weekend, the Welsh Labour Party voted for increased unemployment in Wales.
§ Mr. AbseIs the Secretary of State aware—he is often completely uninformed about the steel industry in Wales—that, to add to the problems of unemployment, there is a serious threat to Panteg steelworks, at which about 700 men are employed? What talks has the right hon. Gentleman had with the chairman of the British Steel Corporation? Will he draw to the chairman's attention the fact that a firm assurance was given to the Select Committee that there would be no cutback and no closure at Panteg? The apparent threat is causing great anxiety. Will the right hon. Gentleman make a statement about the matter?
§ Mr. EdwardsThe corporate plan is currently under review. With other Ministers, I shall shortly be meeting the chairman again to consider it. No assurance was given that there would be no further redundancies in the steel industry at individual plants or as a whole. The chairman has repeatedly made it clear that it will be necessary to continue to improve competitiveness in the way that it has been so strikingly improved over the past year or two.
§ Mr. Alec JonesDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that when my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypool (Mr. Abse) refers to Panteg, he refers to an absolute commitment that was given in 1980 by the previous chairman of the BSC to maintain Panteg? When he discusses the new corporate plan with the chairman, I hope that he will ensure that Panteg is not sold down the river. If that were to happen, 700 jobs would be lost. Despite his fine words earlier, 2,030 redundancies have taken place in Wales each month this year. Will he admit that the sell-out at Luxembourg last week was a sell-out of essential British, and equally essential Welsh, interests?
§ Mr. EdwardsThe future of the steel industry in Wales depends on its being competitive. I have seen no immediate proposals of the kind referred to by the hon. Member for Pontypool (Mr. Abse) and the right hon. 633 Member for Rhondda (Mr. Jones). However, those are matters for the chairman. I shall be discussing the corporate plan with him in the near future.
Events in Europe last week led to a profoundly important disagreement about the way in which business in the European Community should be conducted. The real disaster for Wales would be to pursue the Opposition's policy of withdrawing from the Community.
§ Sir Raymond GowerDoes my right hon. Friend consider that the steady fall in the inflation rate in the United Kingdom should enhance and provide great opportunities for Welsh industrial recovery?
§ Mr. EdwardsIt is of extreme importance that inflation is continuing to fall and has fallen to 9.4 per cent. That and improved competitiveness hold out the best chance for a recovery of our industrial prospects.
§ 6. Mr. Hoosonasked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the most recent month's average percentage of unemployment in the area covered by the Development Board for Rural Wales.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsOn 15 April 1982 the average rate of unemployment was 13.4 per cent.
§ Mr. HoosonWill my right hon. Friend ensure that, in the review of regional aid that is now taking place, full weight will be given to the fact that the DBRW area of Wales and the HIDB area of Scotland have the same levels of unemployment, and that the HIDB area is not threatened substantially with the downgrading of status?
§ Mr. EdwardsThat factor will, of course, be taken into account. As my hon. Friend is aware, there are wide variations within the area. Indeed, unemployment in the Brecon travel-to-work area, in his constituency, is only 8.8 per cent. He also knows that this week we are to meet him and representatives of his local authorities and my hon. Friend the Member for Montgomery (Mr. Williams) to discuss these matters. We shall take all these factors into account.
§ Mr. D. E. ThomasWill the Secretary of State assure us that he personally will take a stand with the Secretary of State for Industry to ensure that the interests of rural Wales are fully protected in the Cabinet and that he will not surrender on this issue?
§ Mr. EdwardsThe decisions on the review that we undertook to carry out are being dealt with collectively, and I shall be one of the Ministers who will take those decisions. I shall, of course, ensure that all the important factors for mid-Wales, and indeed for other parts of the United Kingdom, are taken properly into account.
§ 7. Mr. Donald Andersonasked the Secretary of State for Wales what, at the latest available date, are the percentage figures for male unemployment in Swansea, West Glamorgan and Wales, respectively; and what were the comparative figures for May 1979.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsOn 15 April 1982 the male unemployment rate for the Swansea travel-to-work area was 19.5 per cent., for West Glamorgan 18 per cent. and for Wales 18.8 per cent. Rates for May 1979 were 8.3 per cent., 7.4 per cent. and 8.3 per cent., respectively.
§ Mr. AndersonThat is an increase of 2½ per cent. in two years. Is the Secretary of State aware that, among the few jobs advertised in the Swansea jobcentre for 634 unemployed steel workers and others, one was for a clown, uniform supplied, to travel and make a fool of himself around the rest of Great Britain? Does the Secretary of State realise the humilation felt in my area in such a job offer as a result of the Government's policy? When will it stop?
§ Mr. EdwardsThe hon. Gentleman is trivialising the issue. A variety of employment is offered in jobcentres. I am sure that that is what the hon. Gentleman wisher. I should have thought that, in coming to the House to discuss important issues, the hon. Gentleman would have a more serious point to make than that.
§ Mr. ColemanWill the Secretary of State tell us how many of the number that he gave in his original answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea, East (Mr. Anderson) were young male unemployed? Can he estimate what youth unemployment in West Glamorgan is likely to be when the summer school term ends?
§ Mr. EdwardsI can give no forcast about the likely future levels. Consecutive Governments have refused to make forcasts of that kind. Clearly, youth unemployment is worrying. That is why we have launched a major programme—the largest ever—to deal with the problem.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursHas the Minister seen the article in British Business, based on research done by Mr. Galguly of the Department of Industry, which showed that the number of company births in Wales is one of the lowest in the United Kingdom and that the number of company deaths in Wales is one of the highest in the United Kingdom? What does he intend to do about it?
§ Mr. EdwardsNo, I have not seen the article. However, I have seen the figures that are available in the Department, and they show that the amount of factory space allocated in Wales last year was an all-time record, that in the first quarter of this year the figures are nearly double the figures for the first quarter of last year. that the number of inquiries to the small business unit was at an all-time record last year and is substantially up this year, and the number of new firms coming to Wales has been exceptionally high during the past three years.