Welsh Affairs

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 5:56 pm on 28 February 1991.

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Photo of Mr Barry Jones Mr Barry Jones Shadow Secretary of State 5:56, 28 February 1991

The Secretary of State for Wales began by referring to our brave soldiery in the Gulf. I agree with the right hon. Gentleman entirely, as do all hon. Members. The Secretary of State may not know that Francis Evans of Flint died in the Gulf. He was a REME lance corporal and a full-time soldier of courage and professionalism. I know his father, Ted Evans, and Francis was a superb son and a fine, professional and very brave soldier. He will be greatly missed in Flint and we pay tribute to what he did and what he was seeking to do.

The Secretary of State also referred to our late colleague Mr. Donald Coleman. He would have taken part in this debate had he been here and we would all have listened to him with great respect because he was a fine constituency Member.

At 3 pm today I was told of the loss of 238 steel jobs at British Steel at Shotton. I must protest about that appalling development, bearing in mind the devastating job losses that my constituency suffered during the 1980s. Why must those jobs be lost? Will the Secretary of State guarantee that no more jobs will be lost? When did he learn of those losses? I must express my anger at this development. It constitutes appalling treatment. My constituents at Shotton steelworks break records. They co-operate with demanning and make a great deal of money for the board of British Steel. They are continually increasing productivity. To sum up, anything that the company asks of my steel-working constituents, they deliver, but what have we had in return? An appalling decision, which I must protest about hearing in this honourable House. I repeat my question to the Secretary of State; when did he know about the job losses?