§ 4. Mr. Roy HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the figure and percentage of male unemployment in Wales at the latest available date.
§ Mr. David HuntA total of 102,200 and 13.5 per cent.
§ Mr. HughesDoes the Secretary of State recall telling the recent Conservative party conference that it has been a good year for the party? Although I appreciate that his colleagues do not tell him much these days, may I remind him of the mass unemployment, record bankruptcies, escalating repossessions, the debacle over the exchange rate mechanism, the troubles over Maastricht and the crisis in the mining industry? If this is a good year, will the Secretary of State outline what constitutes a bad one?
§ Mr. HuntThe hon. Gentleman should think carefully before he downplays our achievements in Wales, where thousands of new jobs have come to declining coal mining areas. By our positive partnership in Wales we have shown the rest of the United Kingdom what can be done to bring new investment and jobs to those parts of Wales.
§ Mr. Roger EvansCan my right hon. Friend assist us by saying what new initiatives he has in mind for economic development in Wales?
§ Mr. HuntI am happy to announce that I am issuing a consultation paper on the establishment of the Welsh economic council, because I am determined to build on the positive partnership that we have in Wales, which has brought us those new jobs and investment.
§ Madam SpeakerQuestion No. 5——
§ Mr. RowlandsOn a point of order, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerI would normally take points of order at the end of questions but if I have breached our Standing Orders I must listen now.
§ Mr. RowlandsQuestion No. 4 was on male unemployment. They are closing pits in my constituency——
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I am genuinely interested if I have breached Standing Orders. I have not done so. I shall call the hon. Gentleman as soon as I can on some other occasion.
§ Mrs. ClwydMay we tell the Secretary of State exactly what his achievements have been since he became Secretary of State. Unemployment has increased by 46,500. That is his achievement and every one of us feels that he—[Interruption.]
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. The hon. Lady is responding on Question 4. As a Front-Bench Member she is perfectly entitled to do so. If the hon. Gentleman on the Back Benches has anything further to say, perhaps he will see me after Question Time.
§ Mrs. ClwydIn case the Secretary of State missed the point, I said that since he became Secretary of State for Wales his achievement is 46,500 people unemployed in Wales. We all feel that his answers are totally unconvincing. It is clear that he was never told, never consulted and never informed about job losses in the coal industry. Does he realise that Welsh people are fed up with having no clout and no voice in the Cabinet? Surely any self-respecting Minister who has been treated like a tea boy outside the board room door should resign, particularly when the Government have shown how incompetent they are, how many lies they have told, and how bankrupt they are. It is time for them to give up and for the Minister to resign.
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. That was somewhat remiss of the hon. Lady—[Interruption.] Order. I am sure that the hon. Lady would not want to leave that impression in the Official Report. Would she like to rephrase it?
§ Mrs. ClwydHow misleading the Minister's tenure as Secretary of State has been if he claims that he has reduced unemployment. He certainly has not. He has increased it by 46,500 since he came into office. Let him explain that.
§ Mr. HuntThe hon. Lady has made a number of accusations, one of which was that I was in ignorance. If blissful ignorance were a reason for resignation, there would not be many hon. Members on the Opposition Benches. Unemployment in Wales has fallen from just under 180,000 in 1986 to just under 130,000 today. Furthermore, I am pleased to be able to announce today an investment package involving a further £10 million of Government regional assistance, bringing 1,300 new jobs to Wales and safeguarding 500 other jobs. Government investment for regional assistance this year has meant that we have already made offers totalling £50 million, and more than 9,000 new and safeguarded jobs are forecast. That is action on the Government's part and we intend to bring new jobs to Wales.
§ Mr. RowlandsOn a point of order, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I must ask the hon. Gentleman to resume his seat now. We must now move to Question 5.