§ 12. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed were registered at the Brixton employment exchange in January, 1952 and 1953, respectively.
§ Mr. Watkinson1,589 at 14th January, 1952, and 2,594 at 12th January, 1953.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonThese are deplorable figures. Will the Minister explain how it is that there is this very substantial increase, in the neighbourhood of 66 per cent., compared with the figure for last year, whereas the average increase over the whole of the London and South-Eastern region is in the neighbourhood of only 30 per cent.? How does he account for this situation? What action is he going to take to cope with it?
§ Mr. WatkinsonPerhaps we might again at least gets the facts right. I agree with the hon. and gallant Gentleman that the increase is a very large and worrying one, but it is not quite so black when one looks at the actual figures and finds that the reasons are largely seasonal. The three trades worst affected are the catering and hotels trade, the distributive trades and the building and civil engineering trades, and those may improve later in the year.
§ Mr. JayDoes the hon. Gentleman not think that this upward trend in underemployment and unemployment in so many areas suggests that there is something wrong with the Government's economic policy?
§ Mr. WatkinsonNo, Sir. What I think it suggests, and the way we look at it, is that we are moving into a period of intense foreign competition. I hope we shall face up to it successfully.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise this subject on the Adjournment.