§ 28. Mr. Wainwrightasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the number of new jobs created, over the past two years, in the Dearne Valley constituency area, excluding those in the coal mining industry.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonIndustrial development certificates have been issued in the last two years for projects in the two employment exchange areas covering the hon. Member's constituency which, according to the estimates of the firms concerned, should provide about 750 new jobs.
§ Mr. WainwrightDoes the Minister realise that the number he mentioned refers to the future and not to jobs created in the past two years? Is he also aware that employment in this constituency is in the coal mines and heavy industry? What is his Department doing for female labour and for men who have suffered sickness or accidents in the mines? Can he do something to attract light industry there?
§ Mr. MacphersonNearly all the 750 jobs I mentioned are for females and industrial development certificates for female-employing projects are, as I recently told the hon. Gentleman in reply to a Question, readily granted for his 1521 area. In fact I understand that the National Coal Board is anxious to recruit more workers and there is no threat of redundancy.
§ Mr. WainwrightThe hon. Gentleman does not seem to realise that the men I spoke about have worked in the mines and are now incapable of doing mining work. Cannot he do something for those men who are at present unemployed and do not seem to have any chance whatever of getting a job?
§ Mr. MacphersonWe realise that very fully. It is a problem we meet in many parts of the coal mining areas.