---

Welsh Affairs

The hon. Gentleman knows that there is much cross-party opposition to the closure of DWP offices in western Wales. Another possible threat to jobs is likely to be caused by the merger of national health service trusts in north Wales. I am afraid that that proposal is backed by the leader of Plaid Cymru in Wales, who believes that they positively should merge. The merger would result in a drift of jobs eastwards from north-west Wales from the trust that covers the hon. Gentleman's constituency and mine. Does he agree that we need to be consistent on this issue, and that we need to fight at all levels to keep highly paid, highly skilled jobs in north-west Wales and in the objective 1 area?