Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Ruane Excerpts

Wednesday 18th January 2012 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) (Lab)]

1. What steps the Government are taking to reduce the claimant count in Wales.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr David Jones)]

The latest claimant count figures in Wales show some encouraging signs, but there is still much to do to ensure that the recession does not leave a legacy of worklessness in Wales. The Government remain committed to creating the right conditions for the private sector to grow and to create jobs in Wales.

[Chris Ruane]

Some 46% of the workers in my constituency and 45% of the workers in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency work in the public sector. The coalition Government’s theory is that as they sack public sector workers, the number of private sector jobs will increase and those sacked workers will be taken on. How many private sector jobs were created in the Minister’s constituency in the past six months and in my constituency, the Vale of Clwyd?

[Mr Jones]

The hon. Gentleman repeatedly raises the issue of public sector jobs in Wales, and he will know that it is generally agreed that Wales is over-dependent on the public sector and under-dependent on the private sector. The creation of private sector jobs is largely the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government, of which his party is in control.