§ 18. Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the prospects for manufacturing industry in Wales.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesProspects for manufacturing industry in Wales are excellent. The latest CBI Wales survey shows that confidence in the Welsh business community is nearly double the United Kingdom average. New orders have increased at their fastest rate since 1988 and at twice the United Kingdom rate. The number of both export and domestic order books above normal levels is the highest since 1988, and the investment intentions of Welsh manufacturers are at their highest level since the survey began.