§ 7. Mr. Benceasked the Minister of Labour how many youths and girls below the age of 20 years are registered as unemployed at the Kirkintilloch employment exchange.
§ Mr. GodberOn 13th January, 38 youths and 19 girls below the age of 20 were registered at the Kirkintilloch employment exchange and youth employment office.
§ Mr. BenceKirkintilloch is an overspill area from Glasgow and people are being encouraged to move out into the borough of Kirkintilloch. Is it not serious when we try to get families to move out that we get unemployment amongst boys and girls in the area? Will the Minister do something to ensure that when young 7 people leave school, especially in view of the level of education which they receive, they are given employment rather than cast on to the streets?
§ Mr. GodberI fully agree, that, whatever the numbers, this is a worrying problem and that youngsters should have employment. I shall do everything I can, as will my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, to help. Again, in this area the numbers are small, for the reasons which the hon. Gentleman has given. Of 104 boys and girls who left school at Christmas, only nine are left on the unemployment register. This shows that a good deal is being done to absorb them.