HC Deb 30 November 1960 vol 631 cc375-6
19. Mr. Emrys Hughes

asked the Minister of Labour why unemployment in Scotland is now twice the national average.

Mr. Hare

The reasons for the higher level of unemployment in Scotland include excessive dependence on the heavier industries as well as geographical factors. There has, however, been some improvement during the past year, and I am hopeful that the continued efforts which my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is making to introduce new industry will result in a further reduction of unemployment.

Mr. Hughes

Has the right hon. Gentleman read the three articles which have appeared this week in the Conservative newspaper, the Scotsman? One of the articles says that the Minister is showing a great deal of "facile optimism"—and he is showing it again by this Answer.

Is he aware that the newspaper also said: The present facade is a disgraceful sham. The real position is full of dishonesties and anomalies. … What steps have been taken to deal with the hard core? Practically none.

Mr. Speaker

Order. I must remind the hon. Member that quotations in Question Time are out of Order. If he can frame his supplementary question without getting out of order, then let him ask it.

Mr. Hughes

Has the right hon. Gentleman's attention been drawn to this very strong criticism of the Government by Scotland's national newspaper, which talks of "facile optimism" and other things which I have mentioned? What is he going to do about this?

Mr. Hare

The hon. Member has made his point clear, although he may have been out of order. But I would rather not go by newspapers' opinions—although everyone is entitled to his opinion—but by facts. These are that, compared with November, 1959, the fall in unemployment in Scotland has been the same as for Great Britain as a whole—18.2 per cent.

Mr. Manuel

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that he is far too optimistic in his references to Scotland? It is agreed by all authorities in Scotland, and is borne out by the articles in the Scotsman mentioned by my hon. Friend the Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes), that there is a problem of the hard core of unemployment in Scotland that will not be solved by the new industry which is presumably going there, and that in the next four years we shall have a huge bulge of school leavers, which will mean that literally thousands of these young people, especially in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, will have to go to employment exchanges instead of into situations.

Mr. Hare

I am not trying to be either complacent or optimistic. The hon. Member is fair-minded and he will recognise that, owing to the new developments which have largely been caused by the action of the Government, there will be more jobs available, and this will improve the situation in Scotland.

Sir J. Duncan

Is my right hon. Friend aware that he would be quite wrong to say—as he says in his Answer—that he will rely entirely on the Board of Trade? Some of us believe in self-help, and there are such organisations as the Council for Industry in Scotland to bring industry to the country.

Mr. Hare

I accept what my hon. Friend says.

Mr. Lee

Does the right hon. Gentleman accept the wording of this Question—that there is now twice the national average of unemployment in Scotland? Does this mean that the Local Employment Act has failed? If that is so, when do the Government propose to amend it?

Mr. Hare

The employment situation in Scotland is improving steadily. Thanks to the efforts of the Government, it is better than it was.