1. Mrs. Slaterasked the Minister of Labour how many men and women are unemployed or on short working time in the pottery industry in north Staffordshire.
§ The Minister of Labour and National Service (Mr. Iain Macleod)At 14th January, 505 males and 407 females were registered as wholly unemployed and 1,189 males and 2,377 females temporarily stopped. Statistics of the number on short time at the beginning of January in the Midland region, the great majority of whom were in north Staffordshire, will be available shortly, and I will let the hon. Member have them when they are ready.
Mrs. SlaterDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that an increasing number of people in north Staffordshire are becoming unemployed, and that there are also an increasing number on short-time working, which figure is going up week by week? Is he also aware that one of the problems of short-time working is that large numbers of women do not benefit from unemployment insurance, and, with the rising cost of living, this is becoming a very severe problem? Would he not approach his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer about reconsideration of a reduction in Purchase Tax?
§ Mr. MacleodI think I would agree with most of the hon. Lady's analysis, particularly with the suggestion that some of the difficulties of this industry have been—not perhaps created, but at all events accentuated—since the increase in the Purchase Tax. I will certainly discuss that with my right hon. Friend.