HC Deb 17 November 1986 vol 105 cc300-1
10. Mr. Livsey

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much additional expenditure in 1987–88 on roads is earmarked for Wales.

12. Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of Sta.te for Wales what changes have taken place in the expenditure plans of his Department following the autumn statement of his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 6 November; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

I refer the hon. Gentlemen to table 2.3 of the autumn statement 1986. Within my public expenditure block I shall be deciding the allocation of provision to particular services and projects over the next few weeks. Announcements will be made in the normal way.

Mr. Livsey

When will the Secretary of State bring forward proposals for a major improvement in roads in north and south Wales, providing a proper link between those areas, which is most important, and improvements to the A470 at Merthyr Tydfil at Felinfach in my constituency, where the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Thomas) recently experienced how unsafe it was, and also between Builth Wells arid Newbridge on Wye on the A470?

Mr. Edwards

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that we are improving, and have already made substantial improvements to, the north-south route. He referred to the road to Merthyr. There is obviously another major improvement to be made past Merthyr. All the details are clearly set out in the paper "Roads in Wales", which we have issued and which spells out the major road construction programme that we are undertaking in the Principality.

Mr. Thomas

Will the Secretary of State explain to the House and to Wales his role in public expenditure rounds? It is clear that he has to receive what is handed down to him from the Treasury. Does he play any role at all in putting in bids related to the needs of Wales?

Mr. Edwards

I note that it is apparently just my role, to accept what is handed down. I am bound to say that it did not seem quite like that during the public expenditure round, when, I can assure the hon. Gentleman, I vigorously advanced the needs of Wales. If the hon. Gentleman looks at the autumn statement he will see that Wales obtained a substantial increase of 10 per cent. over the plans for 1986–87. That is a satisfactory increase.

Mr. Barry Jones

The right hon. Gentleman gives complacent replies. The Chancellor of the Exchequer's allocation to Wales cannot repair the damage of seven savage years. Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that his own Government's report to Brussels said that massive investment was required in the social infrastructure of Wales if we were to get new industries to come to us? For example, what will he do constructively for the island of Anglesey, where unemployment increased by 5 per cent. last year and where male unemployment now exceeds 27 per cent.?

Mr. Edwards

Our submission to Brussels referred also to massive Government assistance to replace jobs lost in the industrial areas and major attempts to restructure Welsh industry. If I had the time and you would allow me, Mr. Speaker, I should love to read the long list of projects undertaken by the Government. We have increased, and are increasing, capital expenditure in Wales, unlike the hon. Gentleman's Government, who slashed capital expenditure after having had to run cap in hand to the 1MF.