HC Deb 05 June 1967 vol 747 cc611-2
25. Mr. John Page

asked the Minister of Labour, of the total number of placings since 1st January, 1967, what percentage has been in manufacturing and in service industries, respectively.

Mr. Hattersley

Between 4th January and 2nd May, 1967, 37.4 per cent. of all placings made by employment exchanges and youth employment offices were in manufacturing, and 42.9 per cent. in service industries.

Mr. Page

Is the Minister aware that that reply, and the reply a bit earlier showing that the numbers of those employed in manufacturing industry have been reduced by 310,000, knocks on the head the Government claim that redeployment will redeploy people from service to manufacturing industries, and proves what the country has been saying for a long time, that redeployment really means unemployment?

Mr. Hattersley

I can only reiterate that the objects of the Selective Employment Tax and their achievement are not easy to distinguish from the general aspects of Government economic policy. I urge the hon. Gentleman to be patient and look forward to the time when a long-term analysis of Selective Employment Tax and its objects proves that it has worked in the way it was intended to work.

Mr. R. Carr

But was it not the object of all the Government's economic policies, not only of S.E.T., to bring about the sort of redeployment which these figures show is not happening?

Mr. Hattersley

Certainly, that was one of the objects of the Government's economic policy. But we have constantly said—and it was said by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget speech which announced the Selective Employment Tax—that the major objects of redeployment and the major achievements could be judged only after some time. That time has not yet elapsed.