HC Deb 29 January 1957 vol 563 cc829-31
11. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Labour the number of workers registered as wholly unemployed in the Borough and Rural District of Newcastle-under-Lyme at the latest date for which figures are available; and how this compares with the figures for one year and two years ago, respectively.

Mr. Iain Macleod

Unemployed persons resident in the Borough and Rural District of Newcastle-under-Lyme register at the Newcastle-under-Lyme Employment Exchange and Youth Employment Office. The number registered as wholly unemployed at those offices at 14th January was 792, compared with 353 at 16th January, 1956, and 358 at 10th January, 1955.

Mr. Swingler

Does that not indicate a serious increase in unemployment in that part of north Staffordshire? Is the Minister aware that the combination of Purchase Tax on pottery, the credit squeeze and redundancy is producing very serious effects in north Staffordshire? While noting with pleasure the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Mrs. Slater), may I ask whether the Minister will draw the attention of all his colleagues to these difficulties, which show the consequences of some of their policies?

Mr. Macleod

I will do that. The Question asked by the hon. Member was, of course, linked to the earlier Question asked by his hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Mrs. Slater). I do not think we should ignore the effect on export markets which foreign competition is having in this industry, but I entirely agree that some of the difficulty which the industry is experiencing at present is due to Purchase Tax.

Mr. Nabarro

Will my right hon. Friend make clear that he is not this afternoon advocating a policy of unilateral Purchase Tax relief in favour of one particular class of consumer goods? Will he bear in mind that the symptoms described in relation to the pottery industry are still manifest in the carpet industry?

Mr. Macleod

I am putting forward no undertaking of any sort in relation to Purchase Tax. All I am doing is recognising a simple fact in relation to this industry—that its difficulties have very much increased and that that is due in large measure to Purchase Tax.

12. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Labour the number of registered disabled persons unemployed in the Borough and Rural District of Newcastle-under-Lyme at the latest date for which figures are available; and how this compares with the figures one year and two years ago, respectively.

Mr. Carr

Two hundred and twenty-four at 21st January, 1957, compared with 123 twelve months ago and 120 two years ago.

Mr. Swingler

Is the hon. Gentleman aware from those figures that there is a need for more work for disabled persons in north Staffordshire? Is he aware that this position is now affected by the serious cut in petrol consumption which appears to have been imposed on Remploy and is preventing the expansion of Remploy? Will he investigate that aspect of the matter, and also do everything possible to get an expansion of work for disabled persons?

Mr. Carr

I will certainly look into the particular matter raised by the hon. Member. I do not want to underestimate what is happening, but I wish to draw the attention of the House to the fact that the proportion of increase in disabled unemployment is less than that in able-bodied unemployment. I think we can draw some comfort from the responsibility shown by employers. This is an important point and shows that what we feared is not happening, namely, that employers are not putting off disabled people in order to employ others. We shall watch the position carefully.