§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the overseas offices of the Welsh Development Agency.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe Welsh Development Agency as such has no offices overseas, but WINVEST, its inward investment arm, has representatives in Palo Alto, California, Princeton, New Jersey, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Bad Bocklet in the Federal Republic of Germany and Tokyo, Japan.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the number of jobs which will be safeguarded or created in Wales over the next three years arising out of the impact of the Welsh Development Agency's programme.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe latest public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 56 II) shows that the agency's budget is set to rise by about a quarter over the period from 1986–87 to 1989–90. This will enable the agency to contribute to the creation of a significant number of job opportunities, although it is not possible to forecast the numbers involved.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the increase in real terms of the Welsh Development Agency financial allocations for each of the financial years 1980–81 to 1986–87.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe information is as follows:
Initial gross expenditure budget at 1986–87 prices £ million 1980–81 120.3 1981–82 121.9 1982–83 101.3 1983–84 86.1 1984–85 78.2 1985–86 72.5 1986–87 76.9 The figures for 1980–81 to 1983–84 reflect the additional resources made available to the agency to assist those areas of Wales affected by steel closures.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the capital expenditure allocated for the Welsh Development Agency for each of the past five years and details for the year 1985–86 for land reclamation schemes.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe information is as follows:
69WI shall write to the hon. Gentleman with details of the land reclamation projects undertaken by the agency during 1985–86.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the projects of the Welsh Development Agency's service industries division currently being considered for financial support are related to tourism.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsTen out of a total of 87 investment proposals presently under consideration are directly related to tourism.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the number of factories owned by the Welsh Development Agency indicating the number of 5,000 sq ft and under, 5,000 to 10,000 sq ft, 10,000 to 20,000 sq ft, 20,000 to 50,000 sq ft and over 50,000 sq ft showing how many are (a) currently in productive use, (b) allocated, but not operational, and (c) unallocated, respectively.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI shall write to the hon. Gentleman with details.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the number of jobs created by the Welsh Development Agency and the total expenditure for each year in each Welsh county since 1979.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe Welsh Development Agency contributes to the job creation process through a range of activities including the provision of factory space, investment funds and advice. It is not possible to quantify the full cumulative impact in terms of jobs created. Information on job opportunities provided through the agency's factory building programme is published in its annual report and accounts, copies of which are available in the Library.
Information is not available on the pattern of expenditure at county level.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many factory units have been built by the Welsh Development Agency since its inception.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe information is as follows:
Type Number of units built since 1976 Advance factories 1,254 Bespoke developments 126 High-tech schemes 4 Estate centres 2 Note: The WDA has also been involved in several projects aimed at converting old industrial property into modern factory units.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the number of employees currently working in factories constructed by the Welsh Development Agency.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsAt 31 March 1986 employment in Welsh Development Agency factories and estates was 43,803. Information on employment in other factories constructed by the agency and subsequently sold is not available.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each year since 1976, the percentage of lettable floor space that was unoccupied in Welsh Development Agency factories.
70W
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe information is as follows:
As at 31 March each year Per cent, of total floor space vacant and available for letting 1978–79 1.0 1979–80 2.5 1980–81 6.5 1981–82 14.6 1982–83 14.8 1983–84 13.5 1984–85 13.2 1985–86 10.4 Note: Information for 1976–77 and 1977–78 is not available.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of Welsh Development Agency factory floor space is currently being used for (a) manufacturing purposes, (b) service industry purposes, (c) social purposes and (d) other purposes; and what is the balance of unused factory floor space.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsAt 31 December 1986, 9.5 per cent. of Welsh Development Agency factory space was vacant and available for letting. The agency does not hold summary information on the activities of tenants.