§ 41. Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has made of net emigration from Scotland in the year to end June 1966, and of the proportion of emigrants going to England and overseas, respectively.
§ Mr. RossThe estimated net emigration was 47,000, of which 22,000 was to the rest of the United Kingdom and 25,000 overseas.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneIn view of these appalling figures, would the right hon. Gentleman explain why, since the Labour Government came to power, the population of Scotland has begun to decline year by year? Will he look into this as a matter of great urgency and bear in mind these appalling figures when considering the level of unemployment, on which a strict watch must be kept?
§ Mr. RossIf the hon. Gentleman will study these matters closely, he will appreciate that the first time when these figures rose above 40,000 was in 1963–64. Thereafter they rose even higher, and in 1964–65, when the Conservative Government were in power—I mention that in case the hon. Gentleman is anxious to attach responsibility for this trend—they rose to more than 43,000. The hon. Gentleman should not blame us for any calamitous rises. I am concerned, as every Scot should be, to arrest this trend. We used to talk about the drift to the South. The figure of 22,000 is a fairly stable one today. I am more concerned with overseas emigration and about what we can do to prevent that. I suggest that only by proceeding along the right long-term lines—by providing the right social facilities, the right housing, the right industry and so on—will we solve this problem.