§ 8. Paul Flynn (Newport, West) (Lab)What percentage of the population are in full-time employment in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [162549]
§ The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Peter Hain)During September to November 2003, 74 per cent. of the working population in Wales was employed on a full-time basis. The labour market in Wales continues to perform well, and better than the average for the UK economic regions.
§ Paul FlynnDoes the Secretary of State agree that part of the wonderful success story of employment in Wales has been the relocation of civil service jobs from the south-east of England to Newport, where the Patent Office, the UK Passport Service and the Office for National Statistics have all settled happily? The move has also improved efficiency by reducing costs. Does he agree that if jobs are lost in the Newport area as a result of the changes announced in the Budget, they should be replaced by new jobs, as recommended in the Lyons report, which states that the relocation to Newport is a model that should be copied by other areas?
§ Mr. HainI agree with my hon. Friend. Newport is a centre of employment excellence that offers great opportunities, not only for public sector jobs, of which he described many good ones, but for jobs that may be transferred in future as a result of the Lyons review. It is important that we continue to build up the employment 873 base of areas such as Newport in both the public and private sectors, and that is exactly what the Government are doing.
§ Alan Howarth (Newport, East) (Lab)Has my right hon. Friend noted that between the beginning of 2002 and last autumn, unemployment in Newport fell by nearly 18.5 per cent.? Is it not the case that under this Government we have been seeing the creation not only of higher levels of employment, but of more diversified and sustainable patterns of employment, giving new hope and opportunity to all too many people who in the past saw few prospects for themselves?
§ Mr. HainIndeed. Our record in Wales on employment and on the economy generally compares extremely favourably with that of our predecessors. At that time, unemployment reached 160,000—now, it is well down to around 40,000. With employment rising all the time, economic inactivity rates coming down and average earnings going up, Wales is a good place in which to invest, to work and to achieve greater prosperity.