§ Mr. Gwynoro Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ask the Welsh Council to undertake a detailed study of the possible implications for West Wales of discovering oil in the Celtic Sea.
§ Mr. Peter ThomasThis is a matter for the Welsh Council to decide. The implications referred to are already the subject of several reports and arrangements have been in operation for some time to keep me fully informed on all aspects.
Mr. GwynoroJones asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set up a working party to study the extent to which possible oil discovery off the coast of
184Wwho were in (1) May and (2) November 1971 and 1972 (a) receiving unemployment benefit (b) receiving supplementary benefit with national insurance benefits and (c) receiving supplementary benefit without national insurance benefits.
§ Mr. DeanI regret the information requested is not available on a regional basis. The following table gives the numbers for Great Britain as a whole; those for November 1972 are not yet available.
West Wales will necessitate the establishment of supporting services in terms of equipment supply, port development and an improved infrastructure.
§ Mr. Peter ThomasThere are already adequate arrangements for monitoring progress on all aspects of Celtic Sea exploration.