HC Deb 17 March 1975 vol 888 cc284-5W
Mr. Nicholas Edwards

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what reply he received to his letter dated 5th August 1974 addressed to Mr. G. Wright, Secretary of the Welsh TUC—published in the Official Report on 20th November—and what further action has been taken over the proposed study.

Mr. Meacher:

As my right hon. Friend indicated in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Moonman) on 20th November, the Welsh TUC considered that the research should cover a wider range of employment problems than those covered by the project suggested by Professor George, and it put forward its own proposals for research. Officials of the Department have had a series of discussions with both the Welsh TUC and Ruskin College, Oxford, which. it is intended, shall undertake the research. The terms of the agreement with the Welsh TUC are now being discussed.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when his officials last had discussions with officials of the EEC on the studies concerning employment problems in South Wales and redundant steelworkers referred to in his reply to his hon. Friend the Member for Basildon on 29th January; and whether there has been any subsequent correspondence with the Commission.

Mr. Meacher:

Officials of the Department and the EEC last discussed the studies concerning employment problems in South Wales and redundant steelworkers—referred to in my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon on 29th January—in the spring of last year. There has been no subsequent correspondence between the Department and the Commission on these specific studies.