§ Mr. John Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion he estimates Wales will bear of the reductions proposed in the Budget; and what is the estimated amount in the current year and next year.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe Budget Statement referred to cuts in public expenditure programmes in 1979.80 amounting to £1,468 million at 1979 survey prices. This includes £19 million on programmes directly within my control.
Local authorities in England and Wales have also been requested to achieve a 3 per cent, reduction in volume of their current expenditure this year; such expenditure is managed on an England and Wales basis. Reductions in the expenditure programmes of certain other Departments will also have an effect in Wales, but the total cannot be calculated except at disproportionate cost. Public expenditure programmes for next year have yet to be determined.
§ Mr. John Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the amount by which Welsh Office expenditure will be cut in each of the following fields, in the current year and next year: agriculture, fisheries and food, trade, industry and employment, roads and transport, housing, environmental services, education and health and social services;
(2) what savings are to be made in Wales in the transport, trade and arts programmes in the current year.
§ Mr. Michael RobertsThe cuts in expenditure programmes directly within my right hon. Friend's control for the current year are as follows:
£ million at 1979 Survey Prices Trade, industry and employment 3.0 Housing 9.5 Other environmental services 3.5 Education and libraries, science and arts 1.3 Health and personal social services 1.6 Public expenditure programmes for next year and beyond have yet to be determined.
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§ Mr. John Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Wales what changes he plans in the levels of expenditure of the Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board for Rural Wales in the current year and next year.
§ Mr. Michael RobertsIn the current year provision for the Welsh Development Agency has been increased by £3.8 million in respect of the special programmes of factory building at Cardiff and Ebbw Vale; provision for other expenditure will be reduced by £3 million from the level envisaged in Cmnd. 7439. There is no change in the planned level of expenditure by the Development Board for Rural Wales in 1979.80. No decisions have yet been taken about next year.
§ Mr. John Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will specify for each of the bodies for which he is responsible, sponsors or provides grants.in.aid how they will effect the 3 per cent, economies proposed for the current year.
§ Mr. Michael RobertsAll the bodies in which my right hon. Friend has an involvement in staffing matters have been asked to submit proposals for economies during 1979.80 and their responses are awaited.
§ Mr. John Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Wales what effect he estimates on unemployment in Wales of the specific reductions in expenditure proposed for the current year; whether he will particularise the reductions; and what localities will be affected.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe public sector expenditure reductions proposed which fall on my Vote are as follows:
£ million Housing 9.5 Welsh Development Agency 3.0 Welsh Water Authority 2.0 Community Land transactions 1.5 Education Services 1.3 In addition, net expenditure on health services is to be reduced by £1.6 million but this will be achieved by increases in prescription charges and certain dental charges.
These form part only of a range of measures which are designed to improve our long.term economic performance. It is not possible to relate changes in em 436W ployment levels to any one particular policy change.
§ Mr. John Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the amount of savings in Wales from the scrapping of the Community Land Act, deferring water authority investment and reducing allocations to housing authorities, indicating how much, under each heading; and what instructions he is giving to local authorities.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe provision for community land transactions in Wales is being reduced by £1.5 million and the Welsh Water Authority's capital programme by £2 million in 1979.80, all at 1979 survey prices. On housing I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the reply given earlier today to the question on housing allocations from the hon. Member for Merioneth (Mr. Thomas).