HC Deb 29 January 1963 vol 670 cc751-5
Q1. Mr. Manuel

asked the Prime Minister if he will now make a statement outlining the current proposals of Her Majesty's Government for dealing with the high and persistent unemployment which affects many areas in Scotland.

Q10. Mr. W. Hamilton

asked the Prime Minister, following his recent talks with representatives of the Scottish trade unions, what additional and immediate steps he has in mind to solve the increasingly difficult problem of unemployment.

Q12. Dr. Dickson Mabon

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with representatives of the Scottish Trades Union Congress about unemployment in Scotland.

Q13. Mr. Ross

asked the Prime Minister whether, following his discussions with representatives of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, he will make a statement on new projects and policies to combat the continuing rise in Scottish unemployment.

Q14. Mr. Emrys Hughes

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the leaders of the Scottish Trades Union Congress.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)

With several of my right hon. Friends I met a deputation of the Scottish Trades Union Congress on 22nd January. The members of the deputation told us of their concern about unemployment in Scotland and offered suggestions for tackling the problem. The Government are already giving urgent consideration to this problem and will take full account of the points raised by the deputation. Hon. Members will know that extensive measures which have already been taken were described by the Government in the House of Lords last week.

Mr. Manuel

Is the Prime Minister aware that he seems to be the great coordinator who does not co-ordinate? Can he inform the House of what actual liaison exists between the six or seven Government Departments responsible for the present deplorable unemployment in Scotland? Further, is he aware that we are sick to death of the dithering and procrastination arising from his lack of co-ordination of these Departments, and will he tell us what he proposes to do to ease the position in the immediate future?

The Prime Minister

A great deal has already been done and a great deal will be done. As regards the actual machinery of Government, if that is the point, great steps in this direction also are being taken, and I am satisfied that there is full coordination between all Departments concerned.

Mr. Hamilton

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the feeling on all sides expressed in another place last week was of the great inadequacy of existing policy to solve this problem? What specific reasons did he give to the Scottish T.U.C. representatives as grounds for confidence? Was it just a confidence trick, or has he something quite specific and definite to offer us?

The Prime Minister

I am glad to know that I gave a sense of confidence to the Scottish Trades Union Congress. We had a very good discussion. I have met its representatives on several occasions, and on many occasions I have been able to bring about the things for which they asked. [HON. MEMBERS: "What?"] One was the Scottish strip mill some time ago. Another was the request to bring the motor car industry to Scotland. I am examining very closely some of the very practical suggestions which they made, and I hope to be able very shortly to make announcements in respect of them.

Dr. Mabon

Does the Prime Minister realise that his inconsequential statement about the holding of talks with the Scottish Trades Union Congress means that his position next week, when he meets the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, which is composed largely of business men, will be all the more serious and that, if he does not offer something specific next week to alleviate unemployment in Scotland, the Government will be at the point of no return?

The Prime Minister

I am quite sure that the Government will be returned. What I am anxious to do is to make suggestions valuable to the employment situation in Scotland.

Mr. Ross

Is the Prime Minister aware that the specific proposals put forward by the representatives of the Scottish T.U.C. at his meeting with them last week were in addition to anything that has been done under the Local Employment Act because of the need for something more and that they command wider support in Scotland? Does not he agree that the acceptance of some of these proposals is the one thing which would lighten the darkness settling over Scotland? The right hon. Gentleman says that he has turned up trumps before. This is a chance for him to do something for Scotland now.

The Prime Minister

That is why I expressed my gratitude for the proposals, which were of a very practical kind. We have been very carefully into them. One or two of them we had in hand, and others gave us certain ideas. I hope shortly to be able to implement a considerable number of them, if not all of them. One of the good things was that one of the proposals was, by chance, implemented the next day.

Mr. Hughes

Is the Prime Minister aware that there is one specific problem in Scotland which urgently needs consideration, namely, the fact that over 2,000 miners at the Barony Colliery have lost their work through the collapse of a pit shaft? Since this colliery has a very large coal output and the men are very anxious to start work again, can the right hon. Gentleman do something to expedite a decision by those responsible?

The Prime Minister

I was not aware of this particular question, but I will bring it to the notice of my right hon. Friend, who will no doubt do the same with the Chairman of the National Coal Board.

Mr. John MacLeod

Will my right hon. Friend ensure that the Hydro-Electric Board gets on with the development of hydro-electric schemes which were delayed unnecessarily for two years by the Mackenzie Report, as this would help employment in the North and other areas of Scotland?

The Prime Minister

I will consider that.

Mr. Grimond

First, can the Prime Minister say whether consideration is being given to some tax inducement being given to firms to go to areas of high unemployment? Secondly, has he considered the need for a Highland development board? If so, when will a pronouncement be made?

The Prime Minister

I will consider what the right hon. Gentleman says in the second part of his supplementary question. With regard to the first part, I must not anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget.

Mr. G. Brown

Is the Prime Minister aware that his answers rather give the impression that the problem has grown up almost without his being aware of it and that he is not aware of the deepness and urgency of the problem in Scotland? While these individual items will help—they are better than nothing—they do nothing to suggest that the Government have a radical programme for getting to the heart of the problem in Scotland. Can the right hon. Gentleman give us an assurance in this matter?

The Prime Minister

The Scottish deputation which came to see me was very fair and friendly in respect of the fact that we had long recognised this problem. Apart from the general state of the economy, there were certain special problems in Scotland which we have tried to wrestle with and on which we have made a considerable improvement, and when the general economy expands again they will show themselves.

Mr. Rankin

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Dalyell, No. 2.

Mr. Rankin

On a point of order. Was not No. Ql1 included in the Prime Minister's reply?

Mr. Speaker

I do not think so.