Welsh Affairs

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 8:43 pm on 28 February 1991.

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Photo of Sir Anthony Meyer Sir Anthony Meyer , Clwyd North West 8:43, 28 February 1991

I share many of the concerns expressed by the hon. Members for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands), for Gower (Mr. Wardell), and for Ogmore (Mr. Powell) about the impact that the changes in the training system may have on some of those who have a special need for training.

As this is probably the last speech that I shall make in a Welsh day debate—no doubt the Welsh Grand Committee still has its treats in store for all of us—I thought that I might look back at the first speech that I made in a Welsh day debate in the House nearly 20 years ago. Having done so, I rather wish that I had not.

There were a few things that I said then that I stick by today. I urged that Britain should get into the European Community. That seemed controversial at that time, but now it is a political platitude. I spoke of the need to lessen Wales's dependence on old-fashioned heavy industry, and to speed the introduction of modern, science-based industry. That has happened, and we all welcome it.

On the whole, however, when I reread what I had to say then, I am dismayed by its smug arrogance. Those were the days when the Government of my right hon. Friend the Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Mr. Heath) was convinced that they had found the holy grail at Selsdon Park and that all that one had to do was to tighten the money supply and, hey presto, all our economic ills would melt away. It took them, and me, a couple of years to get that nonsense out of our heads. It took the Government of my right hon. Friend the Member for Finchley (Mrs. Thatcher) a little longer. Now, after today's announcement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, I doubt whether Selsdon Park can even be found on the map.

One of the very few philosophical concepts that I have been able to grasp is that all generalisations are wrong. Just as it is nonsense to argue that all that one needs to do is to tighten the money supply or to push up interest rates and then leave it to market forces to do the rest, it is equally foolish to deny that market forces have a role—and would have such a role even in a socialist society—in allocating resources where they are most needed. That is the lesson that is rapidly being learned in eastern Europe.

However, I am embarrassed to read how sneeringly I referred to regional policy, with a lot of glib talk about how silly it was to make the rich poor in order to make the poor rich. Equally, however, we must recognise that regional policy has given less-than-hoped-for results at a fairly high cost, partly because we are so muddled about it. At one and the same time, for example, we allocate huge resources to building roads in Wales to tempt people to move to, and to set up their businesses in, Wales, and spend equally huge sums subsidising commuter travel into London, to make that a desirable place for people to work. It does not seem to make much sense, although it may make good electoral politics.

If I can derive little satisfaction from studying my own record, I can take pride and comfort from the undoubted progress that Wales has made during the past 20 years. Perhaps I shall carry hon. Members on both sides of the House with me when I say that much of that progress has been due to the pragmatic and flexible use which Conservative Secretaries of State have made of the instruments fashioned for them by Labour Governments. No Secretary of State has made more skilful use of those instruments than my right hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, West (Mr. Hunt).

I recall with absolutely no pride how I joined in the denigration of the 1974 Labour Government's proposals for a Welsh Development Agency. We all talked about the unreasonable hopes that it would excite. But I hope—and believe—that by 1979 I was among those who rejoiced in the L turn—half a U turn—when Nicholas Edwards, now the Lord Crickhowell, and the outstandingly able chairman of another valuable quango—I seem to remember that quangos were regarded as a particularly obnoxious species but I believe, subject to correction. that there was a quantum leap in the number of quangos under my right hon. Friend the Member for Finchley—decided to make full use not only of the Welsh Development Agency, the Mid-Wales Board and the excellent Wales Tourist Board, but even of the much more controversial Land Authority for Wales. I rejoice in that.

In my own constituency—or constituencies; I am sure that my hon. Friend the Member for Delyn (Mr. Raffan) would allow me to say that if he were in his place—I have seen great changes, although they have affected what is now my hon. Friend's constituency more than mine. When I came to north Wales, it was almost cut off from England by the narrow, twisting, congested A55 cart lane. Much of my effort in Parliament was then directed to getting it improved. But in my wildest dreams I could never have envisaged the splendid A55 expressway of today.

In those days, the area was almost wholly and unhealthily dependent on three employers—Shotton steel, Courtaulds at Flint, and Hawkers at Broughton, of which only Hawkers, which is now British Aerospace, is still a large employer. Courtaulds has packed its tent and stolen away. I shudder to think what would have happened to the Flint area without the heroic efforts that my hon. Friend the Member for Delyn exerted on its behalf. I hope that those concerned are grateful to him. Now we have new, often science-based, industries that are attractively housed along the coast, along the A55 and in my constituency.

In the past two or three years, I have witnessed what I once despaired of seeing—a renewal of Rhyl's tourist equipment and a revival of that essential industry. The transformation which I have witnessed in north Wales has been going on throughout Wales, as I see for myself when I am lucky enough to travel through the still incomparably beautiful countryside and to see what is happening in Cardiff and Swansea and in so many places in mid Wales. I do not claim that it is all the work of any one Government or party; still less do I allocate praise or blame to central or local government. But that brings me to one area where there has been a deterioration over the past 20 years—the relationship between central and local government.

Even under the last Labour Government local authorities, more often than not themselves under Labour control, were all too often at odds, or at best in gross misunderstanding, with central Government. Under Conservative Governments, there has been rather less of this tension in Wales than in England, thanks to the untiring efforts of the last two Secretaries of State to compensate for the almost overtly hostile attitude of central Government in England to local authorities, even those under Conservative control. Now that creative tension is no longer a Government slogan, my right hon. Friend can carry through his consultations for reforming both the finance and structure of local government in an atmosphere rather more conducive to fruitful agreement.

In 20 years, I have, I hope, learned a little humility and I have come to know, and deeply to love, this geographically small but great-hearted country which has received me so kindly. I have discovered that all four political parties in Wales are genuinely concerned for the well-being of the people of Wales and that all four parties have valuable ideas to contribute. I genuinely believe that my party, the Conservative party—today I am very proud to proclaim myself a Conservative—represents a large and creative element in Welsh life. It has a record of achievement of which it can be proud, and it has an important and permanent contribution to make to Welsh life.

Wales would be the poorer if Conservative representation were reduced to the level of 1966, when there were only three Conservative Members. Likewise, it would not be for the good of Wales or, come to that, of the Labour party, if Labour had a near-monopoly of power.

It has been a privilege, as happy as it was in the first place unexpected, to have represented a Welsh seat for so long. I should like to thank hon. Members on both sides for the courtesy and consideration which they have invariably shown me and my wife. I wish my right hon. Friend and his team of Ministers, but particularly my hon. and very dear Friend the Member for Conwy (Sir W. Roberts) the best of good fortune in their endeavours.

I conclude with a wise saying by my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth, (Sir J. Stradling-Thomas) whose ill health is a sadness for us all. It was after one of my hon. Friend the Member for Conwy's—how shall I say it?—more workmanlike performances in a wind-up speech. I was saying to my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth as we left the Chamber, "It was not one of Wyn's more sparkling efforts tonight." John, much wiser than I, replied, "Ah; but it was not that 364 at the Oval which made Len Hutton the greatest of batsmen; it was the 37 not out in bad light at Old Trafford to save the follow-on". Mr. Speaker, I salute the Len Hutton of north Wales.