HC Deb 26 October 1992 vol 212 c467W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what calculations he has made of the effect upon the Welsh economy and communities of coal mine closures since 1984.

Mr. David Hunt

While I appreciate the immediate difficulties for individuals and communities that the closure of coal mines presents, over the past decade we have been able to diversify the Welsh economy to a point where it is much stronger and more resilient rather than being over-dependent on a small number of sectors as was the case in the past.