§ 12. Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many new factory units and how many square feet of factory space have been built by the Welsh Development Agency since its inception.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsBetween January 1976 and October 1984 inclusive, the Welsh Development Agency completed 1,201 advance factory units, 14 bespoke factory units and 82 factory extensions, totalling just over 9 million sq ft.
§ Mr. KnoxWill my right hon. Friend say what proportion of the factory units are unoccupied, and whether any have been unoccupied for as long as five years?
§ Mr. EdwardsAbout 13.5 per cent. of the Welsh Development Agency total factory stock is now vacant and available for letting. The letting rate this year is extremely good. About 1.6 million sq ft of Government factory space has been let, which is an increase on last year's record figure.