HC Deb 06 June 1995 vol 261 cc77-8W
Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place a copy in the Library of the document, "Lifestyles in Rural Wales", commissioned by his Department. [26491]

Mr. Redwood

Yes. I have arranged to do so.

Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make a statement on the date of the(a) submission and (b) publication of the report "Lifestyles in Rural Wales", and if he will list the costs of (i) providing and (ii) publishing the report; and if he will make a statement on its contents and. [26501]

(2) if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the report, "Lifestyles in Rural Wales". [26497]

Mr. Redwood

The final version of the document "Lifestyles in Rural Wales: A study of four areas" was submitted to the Welsh Office on 8 April 1994. My Department disagreed with the methodology in a number of respects, and wrote to the authors on

9 November 1994 expressing its disappointment and informing them that the Welsh Office had no objection to their publishing the document. The report cost approximately £65,000, with some £51,000 provided by the Development Board for Rural Wales and the Welsh Development Agency, and the balance by the Welsh Office.

The report was based largely on a questionnaire exercise in four areas of rural Wales. My Department was not satisfied that the evidence supported some of the report's conclusions.