HC Deb 11 July 1962 vol 662 cc1332-5
22. Mrs. Cullen

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the increase in the number and percentage of employees in the clothing and footwear industries of Great Britain and Scotland, respectively, since 1957.

23. Mr. Gourlay

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the increase in the number and percentage of employees in the vehicles industry in Great Britain and Scotland, respectively, since 1957.

24. Mr. Willis

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the increase in the number and percentage of employees in the paper, printing and publishing industries of Great Britain and Scotland, respectively, since 1957.

25. Miss Herbison

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the increase in the number and percentage of employees in the chemical and allied industries of Great Britain and Scotland, respectively, since 1957.

26. Mr. Lawson

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the increase in the number and percentage of employees in the metal manufacturing industries of Great Britain and Scotland, respectively, since 1957.

27. Mr. J. Robertson

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the increase in the number and percentage of employees in the building and construction industries of Great Britain and Scotland, respectively, since 1957.

28. Mr. Small

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the increase in the number and percentage of employees in the engineering and electrical industries of Great Britain and Scotland, respectively, since 1957.

Mr. Hare

As the reply contains a table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

In all the industries mentioned, except for clothing and footwear, employment increased in Great Britain between 1957 and 1961; the largest increases were in engineering and electrical goods, construction, and paper, printing and publishing. Employment in clothing and footwear fell during the period.

In Scotland, the proportionate increase was slightly larger than in Great Britain in engineering and electrical Goods and in construction, but smaller in paper, printing and publishing. There were decreases in vehicles, chemicals and allied industries, metal manufacture and clothing and footwear; in the last of these the decline was proportionately smaller than that in Great Britain.

Mrs. Cullen

Since the Minister is well aware of the serious unemployment in Scotland, does he realise that we want to know what and when he will be doing something about it so that the people of Scotland may have some confidence in him?

Mr. Hare

As the hon. Lady knows, the Secretary of State for Scotland, the President of the Board of Trade and myself are very concerned about the employment position in Scotland. I hope the hon. Lady will not be one of those who try to indicate that nothing is being done about this, but will realise just how much has been done in the last ten years to get a better balance of industry in Scotland generally. The fact is that there are now, in addition to a large number of new jobs created by the special facilities given by the Government of the day, a large number of jobs in prospect.

Mr. Willis

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that from what he has said the overall picture is very unsatisfactory? While it is true that the Government may have been doing something, is it not about time that they really woke up and did something much more effective, because the position is getting worse each year?

Mr. Hare

As I have told the hon. Lady the Member for Glasgow, Gorbals (Mrs. Cullen), a great deal has been done and is going to be done. I can assure the House that the Government have got the difficulties of Scotland very much in mind.

Mr. Lawson

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that it is because of the very deep concern felt by my hon. Friends about the position in Scotland that this series of Questions appears on the Order Paper? The right hon. Gentleman must surely appreciate that his Local Employment Act is not meeting this case. Will he take steps to set up industries in those areas suffering from continual unemployment?

Mr. Hare

One should not minimise what the Local Employment Act has done, for I think that it has done a great deal. The hon. Member says that it has not done enough. These are all problems which the Government are considering, and I think that in these matters, although we want more to be done, it is a great mistake to minimise what has been done. This is a tendency I have noticed in the remarks of some of my hon. Friends and hon. Gentlemen opposite who represent Scottish seats.

Mr. W. Baxter

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the House will note with some concern the increasing unemployment in the Scottish paper industry? Is there any possibility that the reduction in the tariff on paper imports under the E. F. T. A. Agreement may have had an effect on the number of people employed in the paper industry? If the E. F. T. A. Agreement is responsible for this, does not the Minister realise that the movement of trade with the Six may mean that the paper industry of Scotland and of Britain may be destroyed entirely? I would like to hear the right hon. Gentleman's observations on whether or not the E. F. T. A. Agreement has played any part in the contraction of employment in this industry.

CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT IN CERTAIN INDUSTRIES IN GREAT BRITAIN AND SCOTLAND (1957–61)
— Change in number of employees (Thousands) Percentage change
1957–59 (a) 1959–61 (b) 1957–59 (a) 1959–61 (b)
Great Britain Scotland Great Britain Scotland Great Britain Scotland Great Britain Scotland
Clothing and footwear -38..6 -1.0 +23.1 +0.7 -6.1 -2.8 +4.2 +2.4
Vehicles +2.3 -4.4 +30.8 -4.1 +0.3 -9.9 +3.6 -10.0
Paper, printing and publishing +6.3 -0.6 +43.8 +2.7 +1.1 -1.1 +7.7 +4.9
Chemical and allied industries +6.0 -2.6 +14.1 +1.6 +1.1 -6.6 +2.7 +4.6
Metal manufacture -26.7 -8.2 +59.6 +2.9 -4.6 -13.3 +10.4 +5.4
Construction -13.9 -9.5 +97.1 +18.9 -1.0 -5.8 +7.0 +12.6
Engineering and electrical goods +2.0 -4.3 +213.2 +21.8 +0.1 -3.0 +11.2 +15.2
TOTAL -62.6 -30.6 +481.7 +44.5 -1.0 -5.7 +7.6 +8.8
(a) Figures based on the 1948 Standard Industrial Classification except that:—
(i) "vehicles" excludes "motor repairers and garages";
(ii) "engineering and electrical goods" excludes "shipbuilding and ship-repairing" and "marine engineering".
These omissions are in line with the 1958 Standard Industrial Classification.
(b) Figure based on the 1958 Standard Industrial Classification.