Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
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Wednesday Volume 538 18 January 2012 No. 250 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 18 January 2012 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2012 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 729 18 JANUARY 2012 730 been in communication with the Minister of State, House of Commons Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk). Wednesday 18 January 2012 Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Dwyfor Meirionnydd) (PC): Figures The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock published yesterday by the TUC, based on Office for Budget Responsibility figures, estimate that between PRAYERS now and 2017 a further 40,000 public sector jobs will be lost in Wales. What is the Minister’s Department doing to stem those losses, and generally, what is the Department [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] doing to assist the economy of Wales? Mr Jones: The right hon. Gentleman is right. The Oral Answers to Questions OBR figures project a loss of public sector jobs. At the same time the OBR figures predict that there will be a gain of some 1.7 million private sector jobs during the WALES same period. My Department is strongly engaged with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and The Secretary of State was asked— working closely to do all we can to ensure that the private sector grows in Wales. Claimant Count Mr Llwyd: The Secretary of State and the Minister 1. Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) (Lab): What steps the have heard the awful news about Peacocks. Surely billions Government are taking to reduce the claimant count in of pounds of taxpayers’ money was not pumped into Wales. [89232] the banks so that those same banks could now pull the The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales plug on companies such as Peacocks. Will the Minister (Mr David Jones): The latest claimant count figures in and his right hon. Friend do everything they can to save Wales show some encouraging signs, but there is still the company? It is important for the whole UK, but much to do to ensure that the recession does not leave a vital for jobs in Wales. legacy of worklessness in Wales. The Government remain committed to creating the right conditions for the private Mr Jones: The right hon. Gentleman makes a very sector to grow and to create jobs in Wales. important point, which is quite correct. He will understand, I am sure, that these are early days in this unfortunate Chris Ruane: Some 46% of the workers in my saga. All I can do is assure him that our Department is constituency and 45% of the workers in the hon. liaising closely with the Department for Business, Innovation Gentleman’s constituency work in the public sector. and Skills to do all we can to ensure that those jobs, if The coalition Government’s theory is that as they sack possible, can be saved. public sector workers, the number of private sector jobs will increase and those sacked workers will be taken on. Inward Investment How many private sector jobs were created in the Minister’s constituency in the past six months and in my constituency, 2. Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab): What recent the Vale of Clwyd? discussions she has had with Ministers in the Welsh Government on inward investment in Wales. [89233] Mr Jones: The hon. Gentleman repeatedly raises the issue of public sector jobs in Wales, and he will know The Secretary of State for Wales (Mrs Cheryl Gillan): that it is generally agreed that Wales is over-dependent I have had a range of meetings with Welsh Government on the public sector and under-dependent on the private Ministers and look forward to meeting the Welsh sector. The creation of private sector jobs is largely the Government Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government, of and Science on 6 February, when we plan to discuss, which his party is in control. among other things, inward investment. Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan) (Con): The potential risk to jobs related to Peacocks is a worry to all in south Kevin Brennan: The right hon. Lady will know that Wales and well beyond, across the United Kingdom. RBS is blaming the lack of investors for its decision to What action can the Minister take with his colleagues pull the plug on a deal to save Peacocks, threatening here in Westminster and in co-ordination with the Welsh thousands of jobs. My constituents cannot understand Government? Will he pledge to do everything possible why they were expected to bail out RBS, but RBS is to help them find a funder to secure those jobs over the refusing to help them in their time of need, when their longer term? jobs are at risk. What is the right hon. Lady doing to talk to RBS about its responsibilities in this matter? Mr Jones: Yes, the issue of Peacocks is of great concern not just to Wales, but to the whole of the Mrs Gillan: The moment I heard about Peacocks, I United Kingdom. Some 10,000 people are employed by discussed it with the Secretary of State for Business, Peacocks. Already my right hon. Friend the Secretary Innovation and Skills, and the Welsh Assembly Business of State has been in communication with the Secretary Minister has spoken to the Minister of State, Department of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to discuss for Business, Innovation and Skills, the hon. Member the issue. I understand that the Welsh Minister for for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk). I have the greatest Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science has also sympathy. I have shopped in Peacocks myself and I 731 Oral Answers18 JANUARY 2012 Oral Answers 732 know how many jobs depend on it. It is important that Mrs Gillan: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This we explore every possibility, but I am not going to stand is a very important company and there are many jobs to at the Dispatch Box, as the hon. Gentleman knows, and consider, as I have said before. I cannot say too often make false promises. We will look at what we can do for that we will look at doing all we can, but I cannot stand Peacocks, but it will involve the Welsh Government, as at the Dispatch Box and make false promises at this he well knows. stage before we have further and better particulars and we know the outcome of the current negotiations that are taking place between Peacocks and the banks. She Guto Bebb (Aberconwy) (Con): Does the Secretary of should be comforted by the fact that the Minister for State agree that inward investment played an important Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science in the part in the Welsh economy and could do so again, but Welsh Government, the Secretary of State for Business, to have an impact Westminster and Cardiff must work Innovation and Skills in our Government and I have all together? Is it not disappointing that the Welsh Assembly already been in contact on this matter. seems to be very reluctant to talk with UK Trade & Investment about providing growth for the Welsh economy? Sayce Review Mrs Gillan: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I was 3. Ian Lucas (Wrexham) (Lab): If she will assess the disappointed to see that in an interview on this very effect on Wales of the implementation of the subject in an article in the Western Mail today no recommendations of the Sayce review on employment reference was made to working with the Department for services for disabled people. [89234] Business, Innovation and Skills and UKTI. I have always advocated team Wales and that we should be working The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for together. I was delighted to see that my noble Friend Wales (Mr David Jones): Public consultation on the Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint, who is responsible for recommendations of the Sayce report has closed. The UKTI, has opened an invitation to every MP to get Government are analysing the responses and will consider together with UKTI and host a seminar in the constituency, the implications for Wales and across the country before perhaps together with MPs from neighbouring publishing a statement on future policy. constituencies. That is a great innovation where we can all work together, whether it is the Welsh Government, Ian Lucas: Wrexham Remploy has made good progress Assembly Members, MPs or Members of this House. in the last four years in providing jobs for disabled people in the Wrexham and north-east Wales area, but Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) (Lab): The worrying the Sayce review and its contents threaten Remploy, not news about Peacocks hangs especially over the constituency just in Wrexham but throughout Wales. Unfortunately, of my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff West (Kevin the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Brennan) where the headquarters stand, and the the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), who constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd has responsibility for disabled people, refuses to give me (Owen Smith) with its distribution centre at Nantgarw, details of the financial position of Wrexham Remploy but the ramifications are felt right across the country, until the review is completed. Will the Minister please including in my own constituency where many travel to work with me to obtain those figures so that the 50 work in those centres, but also in retail centres such as people who are employed in my constituency will know in Maesteg.