HC Deb 07 March 1985 vol 74 cc522-3W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, region by region, the number of new jobs which have been created in mining areas resulting from the National Coal Board (Enterprise) Ltd. scheme initiated by the National Coal Board in 1984.

Mr. David Hunt

NCB (Enterprise) Ltd. was set up by the National Coal Board in October 1984 to offer financial assistance, counselling, retraining and help with accommodation for businesses in areas where pit closures take place. The new company has a budget of £10 million, which will be kept under reveiw. Inevitably it will be time before the success of the initiative in creating permanent new jobs can be properly assessed.

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what proportion of National Coal Board (Enterprise) Ltd's £10 million is to be allocated to Wales; if National Coal Board (Enterprise) Ltd. is to have offices located in Wales; what will be the relationship between National Coal Board (Enterprise) Ltd. and the county and district authorities in Wales; and if National Coal Board (Enterprise) Ltd. will be staffed by officials from Wales and conversant with the problems of mining communities;

(2) if he will seek the setting up of a separate National Coal Board (Enterprise) Ltd. for Wales; if he will seek the setting up of a National Coal Board (Enterprise) Ltd. office in the South Wales coalfield; and what consultations have been had with the South Wales National Union of Mineworkers regarding location in South Wales.

Mr. David Hunt

These are matters for the board of NCB (Enterprise) Ltd., but the company has already taken a number of steps to encourage job creation in Wales.

I understand that funds have been committed to help the Neath partnership, the Blaenau Gwent small business advice service, the Blackmoor small business centre and the Llanelli enterprise agency. The board is also closely in touch with agencies in Merthyr and Cardiff.

Last November the board announced that its former training centre at Tondu was to be developed into an enterprise agency—the Ogwr partnership trust—with a business advisory unit, small start-up units for entrepreneurs and facilities for technology training. A number of offers of financial support to individual businesses have already been made.

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