HC Deb 04 March 1963 vol 673 cc25-6
49. Mr. Lipton

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were registered as unemployed at each of the London employment exchanges in Brixton, Brook Green, Edgware Road, Hackney and Holloway, at the latest convenient date.

Mr. Whitelaw

4,602 at Brixton, 4,837 at Brook Green, 4,696 at Edgware Road, 4,478 at Hackney and 4,358 at Holloway at 11th February.

Mr. Lipton

Does not the Parliamentary Secretary agree that this is a deplorable and most discouraging state of affairs? Has he taken note of the fact that there are in the London and south-eastern region, which is supposed to be the most prosperous region in England, more employment exchanges with over 4,000 persons registered as unemployed than in any other region in the whole of England? What is he going to say about that state of affairs?

Mr. Whitelaw

Two things. First of all, that, of course, in the areas of most of those employment exchanges there are more people in employment, and secondly, that a large number of the people unemployed are in the construction industry. They will soon, one trusts, be back in employment again.