§ 22. Mr. Shinwellasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons unemployed in the area covered by the Easington Rural District Council in the county of Durham, giving the number of males and females, respectively; and whether he has a plan for relieving the unemployment that exists.
§ Sir W. MoncktonThis area is served by five employment exchanges whose boundaries extend beyond the rural district. At 16th February, 1953, 1,602 persons, consisting of 827 males and 775 females, were registered as unemployed at this exchange. My Department will continue to do everything possible to assist unemployed persons in the area to find work. Easington is part of the North-East Coast Development Area and efforts are continually being made to increase employment there. It is hoped that the development of the new town of Peterlee will also provide additional employment.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that, although this area is part of the North-Eastern Development Area, it has not been favoured by the introduction of any of the new light industries? Would he consult the President of the Board of Trade and the Minister of Housing and Local Government, who is responsible for the new town of Peterlee, to see if anything can be done in this direction, because the figures of unemployment among female labour are really alarming?
§ Sir W. MoncktonI can assure the right hon. Gentleman that I have this matter very much in mind, and I understand that he is addressing a Question to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade about it. As to the right hon. Gentleman's reference to the 549 alarming state of the figures, in the last year both the total number of unemployed and the female element in that total have been reduced by 10 per cent.