Welsh Development Agency

HC Deb 01 May 1986 vol 96 cc447-8W

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cash budget of the Welsh Development Agency in each of the years from 1979 to 1986–87; what was the increase in real terms in the budget of the Welsh Development Agency from 1979 to (a) 1981–82, (b) 1982–83, (c) 1984–85 and (d) 1986–87; and what was the increase in staff in the Welsh Development Agency from 1979 to 1986–87.

Mr. Wyn Roberts

The Welsh Development Agency's gross budget in cash terms in each year since 1979–80 is given below:

	£ million
1979–80	61.1
1980–81	83.4
1981–82	96.3

	£ million
1982–83	77.9
1983–84	67.8
1984–85	70.0
1985–86*	63.1
*(provisional).

The agency's estimated budget in cash terms in 1986–87 is £76.8 million. Using the Treasury's latest GDP deflator which takes the 1984–85 financial year as a base, the change in the WDA's gross budget in real terms from 1979–80 to the years specified was as follows:

	£ million
a. 1981–82	+11.7
b. 1982–83	-15.6
c. 1984–85	-30.4
d. 1986–87*	-30.6
* (estimated).

The reduction in the agency's budget in real terms in recent years follows the ending of special allocations of funds for the steel closure programmes.

At 31 march 1979 the agency employed 499 staff. At 31 March 1986 the number was 421.5