§ 14. Mr. Wainwrightasked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls are registered as unemployed at the Mexborough employment exchange.
§ Mr. WhitelawOn 11th November, 132 were registered at the Mexborough Youth Employment Office.
§ Mr. WainwrightDoes not the hon. Gentleman realise that those 132 boys and girls are getting rather frustrated? Is it not a fact that delinquency can result among boys and girls who are unemployed and have nothing to do? Will the hon. Gentleman do whatever he can to ensure that in this district, where, apart from coalmining, there are few opportunities of employment and those often of dead-end jobs, apprenticeship courses are offered, and also sandwich courses for the few employed in a particular industry?
§ Mr. WhitelawI am sure the hon. Member realises that in the long term, the provision of apprenticeship courses is exactly the purpose of the Industrial Training Bill which is to be debated on Wednesday. In the shorter term, unemployment among boys and girls in the Mexborough area fell in the period mid-October to mid-November by about a quarter, from 175 to 132.