§ Lord GridleyMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many vacancies will be created by the Japanese firm Sharp at their recently proposed site at Llay near Wrexham.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)My Lords, the Sharp Corporation's development at Wrexham promises to create 630 jobs.
§ Lord GridleyMy Lords, while congratulating Her Majesty's Government for securing this Japanese investment at a time of unemployment that will help our employment, may I ask whether, in the initial stages of this production, only 25 per cent. of the finished article is allowed in respect of European content and nothing allowed in respect of the content of Britain?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, Sharp is establishing at Llay its first European manufacturing base and, as with other Japanese companies and other foreign owned companies, it will want to take full advantage of this facility and the benefits of our membership of the Community. Initially, Sharp will, however import a limited number of kits from Japan; but the company will be positively seeking to increase the local content as quickly as possible. It aims, I understand, to achieve 45 per cent. European value in two to three years.
§ Lord Cledwyn of PenrhosMy Lords, in addition to the local content to which the noble Baroness has referred, can she give an assurance that local people will be employed in the new plant in view of the very high unemployment rate there?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, my understanding is that this development is being greatly welcomed both by the Wrexham district council and the Clwyd county council as a means of helping unemployment in that area.