asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many employees were in employment in Wales, at the last available quarter, for the coal and steel industries, respectively; and what were the corresponding figures for the same quarter since 1970;(2) how many unemployed persons there were in Wales, at the latest available date, whose last job was in the coal industry and the steel industry, respectively; and how this compares with corresponding figures over the past five years.

Following is the available information. Employment data for coal mining and steel are available from the census of employment, the latest figures being for June 1974. Later information relating to June 1975, but for the somewhat broader group of activity represented by orders of the Standard Industrial Classification, is available from the new quarterly employment series, and comparable figures for this broader coverage are also shown for earlier years.with the chief officers of both the Cumbria County Council and the Carlisle District Council.