§ Mr. Geraint HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to establish the headquarters of the Countryside Council for Wales in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Wyn RobertsWe have decided that the headquarters of the Countryside Council for Wales will be at Plas Penrhos, Ffordd Penrhos, Bangor, which is currently the Nature Conservancy Council's headquarters for Wales. The present buildings can accommodate most of the new headquarters staff although some additional accommodation may be needed later. It will probably be necessary to relocate the north Wales regional office of the Nature Conservancy Council which at present shares the headquarters buildings; the precise location will depend on the availability of suitable alternative accommodation but it is envisaged that it will be in, or within daily travelling distance of Bangor.
We have received representations for the headquarters to be situated at a number of other locations in Wales which we have considered very carefully. However, on balance we have chosen Bangor mainly because suitable accommodation requiring the minimum of adaptation is immediately available and it will reduce staff inconvenience and relocation costs to a minimum.