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Welsh Office (Staff)

Volume 977: debated on Monday 21 January 1980

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5.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what reduction in the number of Welsh Office employees he expects to achieve during 1980.

It is not possible at this stage to give a precise figure for 1980, but we shall continue to take all necessary action to achieve the total target reduction of 235 by 1982–83 announced on 6 December.

That news is welcome. Will my right hon. Friend keep the functions of the Welsh Office under review in order to identify unproductive activities that can be eliminated?

I can assure my hon. Friend that we are continuing to review all the functions and operations of the office.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that not everyone shares his joy and pleasure at the actual reduction of job opportunities in Government service for young people in Wales? Will he bear in mind that we are also concerned about labour-shedding in other departments in Wales? What is the right hon. Gentleman doing, for example, to save the essential Llanelli skillcentre? Is he conscious of the fact that, as Wales is particularly dependent on small firms that cannot afford their own training schemes, it is an act of lunacy to think of closing a skillcentre in South-West Wales?

I have recently seen the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission and drawn to his attention the many representations that have been made by hon. Members and others about the Llanelli skillcentre. I have emphasised to him the importance with which the skillcentre is rightly regarded in that part of Wales.

Is my right hon. Friend in a position to estimate the increase in the number of employees in the Welsh Office that might be occasioned by the Local Government, Planning and Land (No. 2) Bill that will shortly be introduced into the House?

Estimates we have made of the reduction in overall numbers in the Welsh Office fully take into account any consequences of current legislation.