§ 23. Mr. Rankinasked the Minister of Labour if he will state how the percentage rate of unemployment for Scotland now compares with that for Great Britain; what are the numbers involved; and how remedial schemes are progressing in Scotland.
§ Mr. HareAt 12th June 2.8 per cent., 59,766. in Scotland and 1.2 per cent., 266,705, in Great Britain. There are about 31,000 jobs in prospect in Scotland, including 27,000 in the development districts.
§ Mr. RankinIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that those figures, bad as they are, conceal a position which in parts is even worse than the figures he has given? Is he aware that in my division more and more men are being paid off from shipbuilding every week? More are being paid off now than a year ago. When will some of the many jobs concealed in the "pipelines" be released to remedy this state of affairs?
§ Mr. HareAs I think the hon. Gentleman is aware, although there has been some contraction in that industry, things in Scotland are better on the whole, and I think that the Government deserve considerable credit for playing their part in getting extra diversification. There are such things as the new strip mill at Ravenscraig and the Bathgate project for the British Motor Corporation. All these things are maturing and will in 20 time produce the extra jobs. Even so, what has already been achieved has produced this large number of extra jobs, which means, I am glad to say, that the unemployment figure in Scotland is lower than it has been for four years.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesDoes that reply mean that we can be optimistic and confident about the future of the shipbuilding industry on the Clyde?
§ Mr. HareI do not say anything of the kind. I said that as a result of the many measures put forward by the Government there was a greater diversification, which means that people have more choice of jobs in different types of industry than has ever before been the case in Scotland.