HC Deb 18 December 1952 vol 509 cc1607-9
22. Mrs. Braddock

asked the Minister of Labour to publish in HANSARD a table of figures and trades showing the unemployment figures in Liverpool, separately, and the area covered by the Merseyside Development Area for the latest obtainable date; and the figures for the same date in 1949, 1950 and 1951.

NUMBERS OF PERSONS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES (a) IN LIVERPOOL AND (b) IN THE MERSEYSIDE DEVELOPMENT AREA AT THE UNDERMENTIONED DATES
Liverpool (including Bootle) Merseyside Development Area
Industry 14th Nov., 1949 13th Nov., 1950 12th Nov., 1951 10th Nov., 1952 14th Nov., 1949 13th Nov., 1950 12th Nov., 1951 10th Nov., 1952
Shipbuilding and Ship Repairing 1,976 1,436 761 1,379 2,735 1,722 902 1,627
Non-Electrical Engineering 409 450 264 796 480 499 306 845
Hollow-ware 231 218 142 271 242 225 148 281
Tailoring 88 71 641 207 101 92 697 263
Food and Drink Industries 946 888 799 1,505 1,105 1,097 996 1,876
Rubber 198 191 1,008 425 205 194 1,016 434
Building 1,870 1,420 868 1,757 2,256 1,592 1,015 2,043
Civil Engineering Contracting 452 330 231 402 574 404 296 502
Sea Transport 2,301 1,920 1,536 2,302 2,540 2,109 1,720 2,491
All other Transport and Communication 1,765 1,546 1,034 1,669 2,082 1,799 1,199 1,908
Distributive Trades 1,509 1,489 1,238 2,070 1,908 1,866 1,589 2,516
National Government Service 536 457 332 406 651 537 399 470
Local Government Service 569 523 346 443 726 659 453 588
Medical and Dental Services 201 224 162 248 298 357 271 372
Theatres, Cinemas, Music Halls, Concerts, etc. 176 202 159 221 236 263 209 299
Sport, Other Recreations and Betting 700 517 369 523 944 696 505 649
Catering, Hotels, etc. 1,545 1,396 1,197 1,777 1,943 1,864 1,544 2,195
All other Industries and Services 5,283 4,159 3,528 5,659 6,353 5,148 4,347 6,760
Total—All Industries and Services 20,755 17,437 14,615 22,060 25,379 21,123 17,612 26,119
34. Mr. Collick

asked the Minister of Labour the number of workers unemployed on Merseyside; the number in the corresponding period in 1951; and what steps he is taking to ensure their full employment.

Sir W. Monckton

A total of 26,119 persons were registered as unemployed on 10th November, 1952, compared with 17,612 on 12th November, 1951. The employment exchanges are doing all they can to place these workers in other employment and, as the hon. Member no doubt knows, a number of new factories

Sir W. Monckton

Yes, Sir.

Mrs. Braddock

As the unemployment situation in Liverpool is very difficult and the figures are readily available, will the right hon. and learned Gentleman make arrangements for the figures to be sent every three months to hon. Members representing the Merseyside area?

Sir W. Monckton

I will look into that suggestion sympathetically.

Following is the information:

and extensions to existing factories are now in course of construction in this area.

Mr. Collick

Is the Minister aware of the growing concern on Merseyside arising from this very large increase in unemployment in the last 12 months? Is he aware that the figure is now approaching 6 per cent., which is about three times the average for the rest of England? Will he not consult his colleagues at the Board of Trade and the Treasury in order to speed up the development of new factories, particularly on the Birkenhead side of the Mersey?

Sir W. Monckton

The figure which I received most recently was 4.4 per cent., but I agree that that is much higher than one wants to see and we are doing all we can to get these new factories and extensions to factories. I will endeavour to continue that course.