§ 8. Mr. Rogersasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will pay an official visit to Rhondda.
§ Mr. Mark RobinsonMy right hon. Friend had intended to visit the Rhondda last Friday, but had to cancel his engagement. I undertook the visit on his behalf.
§ Mr. RogersI commiserate with the Secretary of State on his unfortunate illness. At the same time, I welcome back my hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Mr. Colman) after his recent illness.
I welcomed the Minister's visit last Friday as an interesting development in the Rhondda valley. Will he make the Secretary of State aware of the fact that male unemployment in the Rhondda valley is now almost 27 per cent., and that on the Penrhys housing estate, where more than 4,000 people live, male unemployment is more than 80 per cent.? An injection of capital and expertise are desperately needed to relieve the enormous problems that arise from those horrific unemployment figures.
§ Mr. RobinsonI join the hon. Gentleman in welcoming the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Coleman) back to the Chamber after his recent illness.
In this financial year, £732,000 has been allocated from the urban programme to Rhondda borough council, and since 1982 £1.37 million in urban development grants has been allocated to Mid Glamorgan, promising 345 permanent jobs and 229 temporary jobs. As the hon. Gentleman is aware, six projects have been approved for Rhondda borough council at a cost of more than £1 million, promising 310 permanent and 142 temporary jobs.