HC Deb 20 March 1986 vol 94 cc261-2W
Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many manufacturing jobs have been created in Wales so far in the current year; and how many have been created in Wales in each of the last six years.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

It is not possible to say how many new manufacturing jobs have been created since 1979. However, projects for which offers of regional selective assistance or, where applicable, regional development grants were accepted, or which were allocated Government financed factories have promised to provide over 90,000 jobs in Wales since May 1979.

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many manufacturing jobs have been lost in Wales in each of the last six years.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

Information is not available in the form requested, but data on net changes in the total of manufacturing employees in employment is provided in the Department of Employment's quarterly series. Following are the figures up to the latest available date:

Employees in Employment in Manufacturing Industries
Number
September 1980 277,000
September 1981 238,000
September 1982 222,000
September 1983 213,000
September 1984 209,000
September 1985 207,000

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many jobs in the agricultural sector have been lost in Wales in each of the last six years.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

Figures for jobs in the agricultural sector as a whole are not available. However, the agricultural census shows the following number of persons engaged in work on agricultural holdings at June in each of the last six years:

Number
1980 66,400
1981 66,700
1982 66,500
1983 65,300
1984 66,800
1985 68,400