§ 33. Mr. Harperasked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls of those that left school at Christmas are Still registered as unemployed at the Pontefract and Castleford employment exchanges in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
§ Mr. WhitelawThirteen boys and girls out of 384 who left school at Christmas in the Pontefract area, and 10 out of 318 in Castleford were registered for employment at the Youth Employment Bureaux on 11th March.
§ Mr. HarperWould not the Parliamentary Secretary agree that these figures are too high in an industrial area? How many of these children have returned to school having failed to find employment?
§ Mr. WhitelawI could not give the hon. Gentleman the answer to the last part of his supplementary question. As to the first part, any figures which show any school leaver still unemployed are too high. [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."] I should have thought that was a fairly obvious statement. Nevertheless, it is a sign of considerable progress that the number is as limited as it is. In fact, there are no summer or last year Easter school leavers still on the 22 register at Pontefract, and only two summer and one Easter school leaver at Castleford. This shows that placing has continued, though more slowly than we would like.