§ 7. Mr. Liptonasked the Minister of Labour how many people are now registered as unemployed in the London area; and what was the figure last year.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe figure is 52,615 at 17th March, the latest date for which figures are available, compared with 44,550 at 11th March, 1957.
§ Mr. LiptonWill the right hon. Gentleman take note of the fact that this is quite a substantial increase on the comparable figure for last year? Will he also bear in mind that this figure includes one or two rather bad pockets of severe unemployment in certain parts of the London area, of which Brixton is an example? Will he see that as far as possible special attention is given to those pockets of unemployment which now exist?
§ Mr. MacleodI recognise that the position differs a great deal in different parts of the country. I could not possibly promise special consideration for London. Even the figure I have given is only 1.2 per cent., and very many areas in other parts of the country cause us much more anxiety than that does.