§ 28. Sir F. Medlicottasked the Minister of Labour how many men and women, respectively, were registered as unemployed in the County of Norfolk, excluding the City of Norwich, on the latest convenient date this year, and on the same date in 1957 and 1958; and how the total compares with the national average.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodAs the Answer involves a table of figures, I will, with permission circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Sir F. MedlicottCan my right hon. Friend give any indication of how the Norfolk figures compare with the national average?
§ Mr. MacleodThe figure for the County of Norfolk, excluding Norwich, was 4.4 per cent. on 9th February. The January figure for Great Britain was 2.8 per cent.
§ Following is the reply:
§ The Table below gives the information desired:
| NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE COUNTY OF NORFOLK (EXCLUDING NORWICH) AND THE CORRESPONDING FIGURES FOR GREAT BRITAIN | |||||||
| — | Men | Women | Total (including boys and girls) | Percentage rate of unemployment | |||
| County of Norfolk (excluding Norwich) | |||||||
| 11th February, 1957 | … | … | … | 2,844 | 925 | 3,989 | 4.1 |
| 17th February, 1958 | … | … | … | 3,750 | 857 | 4,943 | 5.1 |
| 9th February, 1959 | … | … | … | 3,131 | 745 | 4,214 | 4.4 |
| Great Britain | |||||||
| 11th February, 1957 | … | … | … | 253,113 | 109,789 | 380,060 | 1.8 |
| 17th February, 1958 | … | … | … | 289,995 | 113,599 | 424,547 | 1.9 |
| 12th January, 1959* | … | … | … | 427,007 | 148,031 | 620,786 | 2.8 |
| * The total figures for February are not yet available. |
§ 29. Sir F. Medlicottasked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls, respectively, were on the juvenile employment register in the County of Norfolk, excluding the City of Norwich, on the latest convenient date, and on the same date in 1957 and 1958.
§ Mr. WoodOn 9th February, 185 boys and 153 girls. The figures for the corresponding date in 1958 were 187 and 149, and for 1957, 107 and 113.
§ Mr. J. PatonIn view of those figures and the similar figures which can no doubt be collected from many other areas, what is the hon. Gentleman's Department proposing to do to overcome these formidable difficulties?
§ Mr. WoodIt is important in any discussion of this matter to draw attention to the vacancy figures, which for girls are greater than the number of girls unemployed. The vacancy figures for boys are not as great as the number of boys unemployed. The hon. Gentleman knows that a number of areas in East Anglia have been designated under the Distribution of Industry (Industrial Finance) Act, 1958.