§ Sir Raymond Gowerasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state up to the latest convenient date the number of factories completed by the Welsh Development Agency, the number now under construction and the number of those constructed which have been allocated.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsAt the end of March 1983 the Welsh Development Agency had completed 1,093 advance factories, bespoke units and extensions, and another 132 were under construction. Of the total number completed, 777 have been allocated.
§ Sir Raymond Gowerasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state the total cost of all factories which
386Wover 156 weeks, respectively, in the travel-to-work areas most closely corresponding to the following parliamentary constituencies: (i) Ynys Môn and (ii) Clwyd South West.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsIn best fit terms the information is as follows:
§ Mr. Dixonasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were unemployed in April 1979 and January 1983, respectively, in each of the following categories (a) up to 26 weeks, (b) 26 to 52 weeks, (c) 52 to 104 weeks, (d) 104 to 156 weeks and (e) over 156 weeks in the travel-to-work areas most closely corresponding to the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff, Central.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsIn best fit terms the information is as follows:
have been built in Wales, up to the latest convenient date, by the Welsh Development Agency; and what will be the cost of those factories to be built by the agency and now under construction.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsBetween January 1976 and March 1983 the Welsh Development Agency spent £183 million on factory construction. Factories under construction or planned will cost about £20 million.
§ Mr. Hoosonasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the future plans of the Welsh Development Agency.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI have reviewed in detail the achievements and future intentions of the agency with its 387W chairman and board members. The agency intends to diversify its activities so as to make Wales more attractive as a location for inward investment and high technology development. I have already announced the setting up of WINvest: Wales Investment Location—to unify and develop arrangements for attracting inward investment. I am also considering the establishment of a technology centre, perhaps named WlNtech to provide a point of focus for such development, acting in collaboration with other organisations already in the field. A fuller statement on these matters has been placed in the Library of the House.