ECONOMIC Development Minister Andrew Davies said yesterday he "deplored" the way a series of manufacturing firms had closed factories in Wales - including a number in Gwent - leading to hundreds of redundancies.

Last week more than 100 workers at Merton Packaging, in Llanhilleth, returned from their Christmas break to find themselves locked out of the factory.

And 220 jobs are expected to go at the Yuasa Batteries factory in nearby Ebbw Vale.

Mr Davies was quizzed on the jobs losses by Peter Law (Labour, Blaenau Gwent) in the Assembly yesterday.

Mr Law said the treatment of the Merton Packaging workers was "disgraceful".

He told Mr Davies: "We have seen job losses in Blaenau Gwent reach nearly 1,000 in the last two years, with the closure of the Corus steelworks.

"Can you assure me you are encouraging companies into Blaenau Gwent and to ask them to provide the quality jobs we so desperately need?"

Mr Davies said: "Certainly, Peter, I can give you that assurance. We have a commitment as a government to good governance in terms of corporate social responsibility.

"I always deplore companies... who exit Wales in this way. We don't think it's good corporate responsibility."

But unemployment had fallen by 30 per cent in Blaenau Gwent since 1999, Mr Davies said.