§ 1. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Labour if he will state, to the latest convenient date, the number of people unemployed in Aberdeen, city and county, respectively, according to ages, sexes and trades; and what steps he is taking to reduce the number of unemployed.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. Alan Green)The reply to the first part of the Question consists of a table of figures, and I will, with permission, circulate it in the
| NUMBER OF PERSONS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN ABERDEEN AND IN THE REST OF ABERDEENSHIRE AT 12TH FEBRUARY, 1962 | |||||||||||
| Industry | Aberdeen | Aberdeen County (excluding Aberdeen) | |||||||||
| Men | Boys | Women | Girls | Total | Men | Boys | Women | Girls | Total | ||
| Agriculture and Horticulture | … | 122 | 2 | 4 | — | 128 | 198 | 9 | 16 | 3 | 226 |
| Fishing | … | 225 | — | — | — | 225 | 894 | 34 | — | — | 928 |
| Food Industry | … | 89 | 8 | 58 | 4 | 159 | 89 | 5 | 132 | 6 | 232 |
| Shipbuilding and Ship Repairing | … | 137 | — | 2 | — | 139 | 26 | — | — | — | 26 |
| Non-Electrical Engineering | … | 56 | 1 | 3 | — | 60 | 10 | 1 | 9 | — | 20 |
| Timber | … | 98 | 2 | — | 1 | 101 | 22 | 4 | — | — | 26 |
| Paper and Board | … | 82 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 97 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 2 |
| Construction | … | 270 | 3 | 4 | — | 277 | 186 | 3 | 3 | — | 192 |
| Railways | … | 36 | — | 8 | — | 44 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 8 |
| Sea Transport | … | 143 | 23 | — | — | 166 | 17 | 2 | 2 | — | 21 |
| Distributive Trades | … | 286 | 10 | 164 | 12 | 472 | 79 | 11 | 59 | 7 | 156 |
| Professional Services | … | 35 | — | 38 | — | 73 | 5 | — | 19 | — | 24 |
| Catering and Hotels | … | 107 | — | 66 | 1 | 174 | 8 | — | 18 | 3 | 29 |
| Local Government Service | 149 | — | 22 | 1 | 172 | 16 | — | 4 | — | 20 | |
| Other Industries and Services | … | 758 | 8 | 280 | 18 | 1,064 | 215 | 16 | 151 | 9 | 391 |
| Total, all Industries and Services | … | 2,593 | 58 | 661 | 39 | 3,351 | 1,773 | 86 | 414 | 28 | 2,301 |
§ OFFICIAL REPORT. As my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade told the hon. and learned Member recently, continuing efforts are being made to encourage new industry in the area.
§ Mr. HughesDoes the Minister realise that this calls attention to a very important defect in Government administration, because alternate figures with regard to employment and unemployment affect our productivity and our exports, damage our economy very much, and demonstrate the Government's incapacity to deal with our economy? Will the Minister, therefore, consult the President of the Board of Trade, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the other relevant Ministers with a view to devising a constructive policy that will avoid these irregularities?
§ Mr. GreenI am sure that the hon. and learned Gentleman knows that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour is in constant consultation with the Ministers he has mentioned. He might like to know that in Aberdeen itself unemployment between January and February fell by nearly 300.
§ Following is the table of figures: