§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what would be the totals of unemployed in the area covered by the valleys programme for the years 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, if calculated on the assumption of the continuation of the reduction in the totals from 1984 to the date of the publication of the programme.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe total numbers of unemployed claimants in the valleys programme area fell by 21 per cent. from 45,199 in May 1984 to 35,675 in May 1988.
It is not the Government's policy to forecast unemployment levels. However, the hon. Gentleman will be pleased to note that between May 1988 and February 1989 numbers of unemployed claimants in the valleys fell by 5,863 to 29,812—a fall in the first nine months of the valleys programme—considerably more than double the average annual fall in the preceding four years.