§ 22. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Labour if he will state, for each of the last ten years, the number of boys and girls who left schools in Aberdeen under his jurisdiction, indicating how many of each were absorbed into industry, and how many of each failed to find employment; and what training or other provision was made by his Department for each.
§ Mr. P. ThomasSince the answer involves two tables of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. HughesWill the Parliamentary Secretary convey this question to the new Minister of Labour, as he has such a good reputation for social service outside the House: does he realise that here is a splendid opportunity of practising those principles inside the House in order to save youth from the wastage which it has suffered during the last few years?
Following is the information:It has not been possible to provide all the figures requested, but the number of boys and girls leaving burgh and grant-aided schools in Aberdeen in each of the last ten school years is shown in the following table:—
| Year* | Boys | Girls | Total | |
| 1949–50 | … | — | — | 2,513 |
| 1950–51 | … | — | — | 2,551 |
| 1951–52 | … | 1,309 | 1,335 | 2,644 |
| 1952–53 | … | 1,245 | 1,294 | 2,539 |
| 1953–54 | … | 1,356 | 1,339 | 2,695 |
| 1954–55 | … | 1,267 | 1,301 | 2,568 |
| 1955–56 | … | 1,172 | 1,203 | 2,375 |
| 1956–57 | … | 1,185 | 1,235 | 2,420 |
| 1957–58 | … | 1,218 | 1,204 | 2,422 |
| †1958–59 | … | 1,146 | 1,161 | 2,307 |
| * Year ending 6th June in each case. | ||||
| †Provisional. |
§ Except for the year 1958, about which the then Parliamentary Secretary wrote to the hon. and learned Member on 9th April last, no figures are available to show how many of these entered employment, though it is clear that the great majority found work.
§ The average numbers unemployed in each of the last nine years were:
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
| 1951 | 26 | 20 | 46 |
| 1952 | 35 | 33 | 68 |
| 1953 | 31 | 24 | 55 |
| 1954 | 33 | 22 | 55 |
| 1955 | 23 | 16 | 39 |
| 1956 | 25 | 10 | 35 |
| 1957 | 32 | 12 | 44 |
| 1958 | 42 | 23 | 65 |
| 1959 (ten months) | 45 | 22 | 67 |
§ On 12th October, 1959, the numbers of children who left school this summer and who had not yet been placed in first employment were one boy and four girls. These are included in the total of 33 boys and 16 girls who were registered as unemployed on that date.
§ No special training or other provision has been required
§ 23. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Labour if he will state, to the latest convenient date, the number of persons, according to sex, age, and industry, unemployed and under-employed in Aberdeen and the corresponding figures for each of the last ten years; and what steps he is taking to eliminate unemployment and under-employment in Aberdeen.
§ Mr. HeathI am having the required details extracted and will write to the 655 hon. and learned Member. My local officers are doing all they can to submit the unemployed for suitable vacancies.
§ Mr. HughesDoes the Minister of Labour realise that Aberdeen has suffered more unemployment during the last eight years of Tory rule? Will he consult the President of the Board of Trade and the Secretary of State for Scotland with a view to attracting new industries to Aberdeen and extending some of the industries which are there?