§ 31. Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Minister of Labour what alterations there have been over the last few months in the number of unfilled vacancies notified to his local officers.
§ Mr. GodberBetween October 1963 and January 1964, there has been an increase of 13,500, compared with a normal seasonal decrease of 32,600.
§ Mr. SmithWould my right hon. Friend agree that those figures show clear evidence of a rapid improvement in the underlying trend of unemployment?
§ Mr. GodberTaking the national picture, that is undoubtedly true. Even in Scotland an increase is showing in the vacancies coming along. It is definitely much better than the normal seasonal trend. However, over the country as a whole, and this is what the Question relates to, it is clear that this change in the unfilled vacancy position shows this strong underlying situation in employment.
§ Mr. PrenticeTaking the country as a whole, would the right hon. Gentleman agree that his Department has just published figures which show that unemployment is now up above the 500,000 mark again, one of the highest figures for any January since the end of the war? Is this also evidence of the favourable trend to which the right hon. Gentleman refers?
§ Mr. GodberThe figure has reached just over 500,000, as the hon. Member knows. However, the rise over the last few months has been very much less than in most autumn periods during the post-war years. All the indications, whether they concern unfilled vacancies or otherwise, are that there is a very strong upward surge in the employment position at present.