§ 44. Miss Herbisonasked the Minister of Labour what was the ratio of wholly unemployed women to the number of notified unfilled vacancies for women in the London and South-East region and in the Scottish region, respectively, at the latest available date.
§ Miss HerbisonThese figures ought to give the Minister great concern. What is he doing, in co-operation with the President of the Board of Trade and, perhaps, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to ensure that women in Scotland have at least as good a chance of work as women in the South? Or is the right hon. Gentleman like all other Ministers, quite content that Scotland should be denuded of most of its workers to the Midlands and the South?
§ Mr. HareI assure the hon. Lady that neither I nor any of my colleagues are quite content with the employment situation in Scotland. That is why I have reminded the House that special priority treatment is being given not only to Scotland, of course, but to the North-East. It is by these special methods that we hope to ensure that the people of Scotland get a fairer deal than they have now.
§ 45. Mr. Lawsonasked the Minister of Labour what was the ratio of wholly unemployed girls of under 18 years to the number of notified unfilled vacancies for girls in the London and South-East region and in the Scottish region, respectively, at the latest available date.
§ Mr. HareAt the June count, for every 100 wholly unemployed girls there were 720 notified vacancies in the London and South-Eastern region and 90 in Scotland.
§ Mr. LawsonDoes the Minister think about these figures at all? Does he appreciate how serious is the situation in Scotland? Is he aware that even Government Departments are telling girls in Scotland that there are no jobs for them there and that they must come to London if they want work at all? Will he see that something is done about this very urgent problem in Scotland?
§ Mr. HareI have already expressed to the hon. Lady the Member for Lanarkshire, North (Miss Herbison) my concern on this whole general subject. I think that we can all take some comfort from the fact that we are having considerable success in placing school-leavers. By mid-June, only 3.4 per cent. of the total number of Easter school-leavers were, in fact, registered for employment. To this extent, the picture as it affects young people is better, I think, than some people may realise.
§ Mr. RossThe right hon. Gentleman seems to be very complacent. He should not be. Is he aware that a new batch of school-leavers is leaving this week?
§ Mr. HareI am not complacent, and I am well aware of the fact to which the hon. Gentleman has just referred.