Ceredigion's Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams has responded to official figures released in the Times this week that Ceredigion has the 7th highest percentage of its workforce working in the public sector.

Commenitng on the figures which show that 10,483 employees out of 25,774 in Ceredigion work in public administration, education or health, Ceredigion's MP Mark Williams said: "It is no great surprise to find that Ceredigion has one of the highest percentages of its workforce working in the public sector.

"Ceredigion County Council is our largest employer and we also boast cultural institutions such as Aberystwyth and Lampeter Universities as well as the National Library for Wales which will add to the figure. Then we should include our health sector - particularly Bronglais Hospital, as well as over 75 schools in our very highly regarded educational sector which explains why 40.7% work in the public sector.

"Whilst this is a comparably large percentage, in a large, rural economy such as ours, it is understandable. But that still leaves almost 60% of our workforce plying their trade in the private sector. We have always depended on the agricultural sector and our small business community to drive forward economic growth in Ceredigion and whilst they may not employ as many as the large manufacturing industries of the north east or in the valleys do, they nevertheless play a pivotal role locally.

"The possible loss of 20/30 jobs at Protherics in Ffostrasol which is one of south Ceredigion's largest employers demonstrates that Ceredigion can't and shouldn't be compared with large, industrial areas such as Morpeth in Northumberland or Inverclyde in the west of Glasgow.

"We need a positive mix of public and private sector employment to support our economy but at this present time, with the economy perilously placed, the question shouldn't revolve around whether employment opportunities are based in the private or public sectors, but whether there are any at all. Getting and maintaining a job is the most important aspect right now in putting bread on the table. The Goverment must give the private sector every support possible but the public sector should not be derided for the sake of it. A minimised public sector in a rural, sparsely populated area such as Ceredigion could have serious detrimental effects on both our health and education system. A job, is a job, is a job and that's what matters most at this time".