14. Mr. Tom Ellisasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many members of the staff of the Welsh Development Agency are wholly employed processing applications for grant aid.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsNone.
Mr. EllisIs the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that there are sufficient staff in the agency to process applications thoroughly, without creating bottlenecks? Is he further satisfied that the assistance given to Intermagnetics UK Ltd.—a company in my constituency that has merited publicity recently—was granted only after adequate scrutiny of the company's background?
§ Mr. EdwardsThe hon. Gentleman is the only person who has suggested that there is a shortage of staff in the WDA, which does not usually provide grants. With regard to Intermagnetics UK Ltd., all that the WDA did was to provide factories. It did not take a financial interest or provide grants. I am advised that Mr. Rajinder Anand has served a writ for libel against the publishers of the New Scientist, so I do not wish to go into detail about the Welsh Office involvement.
Although the usual extensive commercial inquiries were made, we do not make it a practice to investigate all the court records to determine whether there have been individual convictions. That would be both undesirable and impractical.
§ Mr. RowlandsIf the WDA has done such a good job in providing factories and establishing small businesses, why are 175,000 people out of work—80,000 more than in May 1979?
§ Mr. EdwardsWe have been passing through a severe recession and suffering from the failure to modernise and compete over many years. In those circumstances, it is not surprising that the period of transition has been especially painful. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will welcome the good work being done by the WDA and not seek to belittle it.