§ 4. Mr. D. Griffithsasked the Minister of Labour how many full-time and part-time unemployed signed on at the Rotherham Employment Exchange during December 1962, January 1963, February 1963, and up to the latest available date.
§ Mr. WhitelawAs the reply consists of a table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. GriffithsI am grateful to the Parliamentary Secretary for that statement, but is he aware that the situation is not half as pleasant as it is pictured? In Rotherham and Sheffield since 1960, thousands of men have not only been employed on a temporary basis but have also been on a three- or four-day week? Is he aware that, regardless of the North-East—serious and critical though things may be there—there is a very serious situation in the Sheffield and Rotherham area?
§ Mr. WhitelawI certainly note what the hon. Gentleman says. I would not go quite as far as to say, as does the hon. Gentleman, that the situation is very serious, but I certainly appreciate the tone of what he said and will bear the point in mind.
§ Mr. GriffithsBut is the hon. Gentleman aware that even in the last fortnight at least another hundred men from one firm alone have been placed on the redundancy list? Surely that is a serious matter.
§ Mr. WhitelawI think that I responded to the hon. Gentleman by saying that it was a serious matter. There are certain places in South Yorkshire where the position is very serious—I would accept that—but the general picture is not very serious. I think that 893 We are prepared to agree position is "serious".
§ Following is the information:
| ROTHERHAM EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE | |||
| — | Numbers wholly unemployed | Numbers temporarily stopped | Total |
| 10th December, 1962 | 1,017 | 289 | 1,306 |
| 14th January, 1963 | 1,452 | 437 | 1,889 |
| 11th February, 1963 | 1,444 | 594 | 2,038 |
| 11th March, 1963 | 1,430 | 386 | 1,816 |