§ 17. Mr. Boydenasked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the low number of apprenticeships now available to Bishop Auckland school leavers, what steps he is taking to attract to the district firms whose work will offer an increase in the number of apprenticeships available.
§ Mr. MaudlingBishop Auckland has been listed as a development district.
§ Mr. BoydenThat is not a satisfactory Answer. Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that only 23 per cent. of the boy school leavers at Easter were able to get apprenticeships? This is 11 per cent. below the national average, which is sinking. Many of the boys who get jobs do not get satisfactory jobs, and many of them are out of work. Cannot the right hon. Gentleman use the new Act to do something about this?
§ Mr. MaudlingWe are using the new Act to the best of our ability in this district and in other districts. We can do no more at the moment than put Bishop Auckland on the list of development districts. It will be treated like all the other areas where the danger of unemployment is great or where there is an existing high level of unemployment.