HC Deb 30 May 1957 vol 571 cc601-2
42. Mr. Lawson

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of Great Britain's unemployment was located in Scotland at mid-December in each of the years from 1950 to 1956.

Mr. lain Macleod

As the reply includes a table of figures I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Lawson

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether or not there is any sign in those figures of a trend in favour of Scotland? On a number of occasions he has said that there is a trend in favour of Scotland. Will he tell us if he sees such a favourable trend over a number of years?

Mr. Macleod

The graph goes up and down. It may comfort the hon. Member to know that the best percentage for Scotland-18.2 per cent.—was reached on 10th December, 1956.

Mr. T. Fraser

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that Scotland's unemployment figure remains, broadly speaking, double the United Kingdom average, and that it remains double the this Answer. If not, I will send them privately to the hon. Member.

Following is the reply: Statistics are available only for employment exchange areas, and the figures for the Leyton and Walthamstow Employment Exchange area are as follows:

average in spite of the migration of large numbers of Scots over the Border?

Mr. Macleod

If I take the two years that I am given in the Question, what the hon. Member says is quite right about 1950, when his Government were in power. The figure of unemployment was 2.9 per cent. in Scotland and 1966.4 per cent. in Great Britain, which is rather more than double. Last year, on 10th December, it was 2.5 per cent. in Scotland and 1966.4 per cent. in Great Britain, which is a good deal better.

Following is the reply:

The table below gives the information desired.

Numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of employment exchanges in Scotland at the undermentioned dates expressed as percentages of the corresponding numbers for Great Britain
11th December, 1950 … … 20.9
10th December, 1951 … … 19.9
8th December, 1952 … … 18.3
7th December, 1953 … … 19.5
6th December, 1954 … … 77.2
12th December, 1955 … … 23.1
10th December, 1956 … … 18.2
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