HC Deb 24 February 1960 vol 618 cc342-3
3. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the further dismissals of workers during the last four weeks from engineering works in the City of Aberdeen, thereby increasing the number of unemployed persons in that City; if he will state the number, ages, sex and previous employment of the persons now unemployed in the City of Aberdeen, and the numbers, ages, sex and previous employment of persons obliged to leave Aberdeen during the last four weeks in order to seek work in England and in the South of Scotland; and what efforts he is making to stem this drift south.

Mr. Heath

I am aware that 29 men were discharged as redundant from engineering works in Aberdeen during the four weeks ended 15th February, and that 16 of these men are still unemployed. The answer to the second part of the Question consists of a table, which I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I regret that information asked for in the third part of the Question is not readily available, but 97 men from Aberdeen were placed in employment in districts south of Aberdeen in the five weeks ended 10th February. The area is included in the list of development districts announced by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 9th February.

Mr. Hughes

Does the Minister realise that the efforts which have so far been undertaken have not resulted in stopping workers from Aberdeen drifting south? Will he consult his colleagues in the Cabinet with a view to devising more effective methods of attracting industry to Aberdeen and stopping the drift of workers to the south?

NUMBER OF MEN, BOYS, WOMEN AND GIRLS UNEMPLOYED ON 15TH FEBRUARY, 1960, IN THE ABERDEEN EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AREA
— Men Boys Women Girls Total
Agriculture and Horticulture … … 160 2 17 — 179
Fishing … … … … … 184 1 — — 185
Bacon Curing, Meat and Fish Products … 96 5 80 3 184
Engineering and Electrical Goods … … 80 — 7 — 87
Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing … … 158 — 2 — 160
Bricks, Pottery, Glass, Cement, etc. … 65 — 1 — 66
Timber … … … … … 79 4 6 1 90
Wooden Containers and Baskets … … 61 — 2 — 63
Construction … … … … … 787 2 10 — 799
Road Passenger Transport … … … 35 — 7 — 42
Sea Transport … … … … 122 6 2 — 130
Postal Services and Telecommunications … 35 — 9 — 44
Distributive Trades … … … … 381 7 258 8 654
Catering, Hotels, etc. … … … 139 1 94 1 235
National Government Service … … 41 — 9 — 50
Local Government Service … … … 148 — 17 — 165
Other Industries and Services … … 870 7 371 11 1,259
TOTAL … … … 3,441 35 892 24 4,392
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