§ 10. Mr. Timmonsasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons signing the registers at Bellshill, Uddingston, Wishaw, Motherwell, Hamilton, Airdrie and Coatbridge; and the percentages of the insured population in the above areas.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour and National Service (Mr. Harold Watkinson)As the reply includes a table of figures I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. TimmonsWill the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that the figures are out of all proportion to those for the rest of the country? Will he consult his right hon. and learned Friend and ask him to consult the President of the Board of Trade and the Secretary of State for Scotland and others to see what can be done to stimulate employment in Lanarkshire?
§ Mr. WatkinsonIt is fair to say that the figures are higher than the normal average, though they are not quite outstanding. I certainly will do what I can to bring the matter to the attention of my right hon. Friends.
§ Following is the reply:
§ The numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of the specified employment exchanges at 10th May, 1954, were as follows:
| Bellshill | … | … | … | 532 |
| Uddingston | … | … | … | 304 |
| Wishaw | … | … | … | 825 |
| Motherwell | … | … | … | 903 |
| Hamilton | … | … | … | 977 |
| Airdrie | … | … | … | 1,014 |
| Coatbridge | … | … | … | 1,090 |
§ It is not possible to compute the percentage rate of unemployment for each of these areas separately, but in the North Lanarkshire area as a whole, including Blantyre, Cambuslang, East Kilbride, 184 Carluke, Larkhall and Strathaven as well as the areas specified above, the rate of unemployment at 10th May was 4.9 per cent.