§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the size of the Welsh manufacturing work force employed by foreign investors who have chosen Wales(a) as a centre for operations in the single market and (b) for other reasons. [4302]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyIn 1997, the most recent year for which figures are available, employment in private sector enterprises of foreign nationality in Wales, classified as "manufacturing" was 53,100. No breakdown is available of the reasons for locating these jobs in Wales. However, several companies have publicly cited the quality of the Welsh work force, their reliability and eagerness to develop new skills, as important considerations.