§ 28. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the recent increase in unemployment in Scotland; if he will state the cause of this; and what steps he is taking to rectify it.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe latest available unemployment figures for 17th March show a small decrease on the total for a month earlier. Reductions in both the numbers wholly unemployed and the numbers temporarily stopped in the building industry and in those temporarily stopped from fishing were only partly offset by increases in metal manufacture, mainly amongst those temporarily stopped, in engineering and in textiles. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply which I gave to him on 2nd April.
§ Mr. HughesWhile thanking the Minister for that detailed reply, may I ask whether his attention has been drawn to the expert practical plans adumbrated this week by the Scottish Trades Union Congress which is now sitting in Aberdeen? Will he give the closest attention to those plans with a view to their early implementation?
§ Mr. MacleodYes, Sir. I am following that conference, and I had the most interesting and helpful discussions with the Scottish T.U.C. when recently I was in Scotland. I will certainly study what they put forward.
§ Mr. RobensMay I ask the Minister whether the Government's plans for dealing with unemployment, to which reference was made by the Prime Minister, are to be given some utterance in this House? At what stage is the Minister of Labour called in to deal with these plans to tackle the high level of unemployment in certain selected parts of the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. MacleodMany of these matters will he discussed this afternoon, and they come directly within the province of the 154 Bill which was foreshadowed in the Chancellor's speech yesterday and to which I believe my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will make further reference this afternoon.