HC Deb 19 March 1969 vol 780 cc116-7W
Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will publish a table of international migrants for Wales similar to Table 9.2 in "The Task Ahead" which applies to Great Britain, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Mr. Urwin

Estimates are not available separately for international immigrants and for international emigrants for Wales.

The estimate of net international migration for Wales was 0.5 per cent. for the five-year period used in Table 9.2 of "The Task Ahead".

Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is his policy in regard to migration from Wales to England in view of his conclusions on movements of population in Chapter 9(4) of "The Task Ahead".

Mr. Urwin

Wales is estimated to have an approximate balance between immigration and emigration, with a net emigration of only 3,000 estimated for the year mid-1966 to 1967. The great efforts being made in pursuit of present regional policy are designed to create the economic conditions in the development areas which will enable them to retain more of their working population. As paragraphs 4 to 6 of Chapter 9 of "The Task Ahead" explain, regional policy must aim at balancing the needs of the remote agricultural areas and older industrial regions for regeneration against the requirement to create a modern national economic structure. In the present situation, to quote "The Task Ahead": The balance of economic advantage would seem to lie in a substantial reduction in the present net flow of migrants of working age from the less prosperous areas towards the South and Midlands

Jobs estimated to arise in Development Areas in connection with the completion of Factory Buildings requiring Industrial Development Certificates*†
Development Area 1964 1965 1966 Estimated number of employees in thousands in 1966
Northern … 8,800 15,200 15,100 1,377
Scottish … 10,800 12,200 18,300 1,954
Welsh … 2,700 2,300 4,600 657
Southwestern … 600 800 900 137
Merseyside … 3,400 12,200 5,700 818
All Development Areas … 26,200 42,700 44,600 4,943
* Source: Board of Trade.
†The estimates are for manufacturing industries and are on the same basis as in Table 9.3 of The Task Ahead, except that the 1966 data includes some revisions to earlier figures