§ 4. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Postmaster-General what estimate he has made of the number of new jobs, in industry supplying Post Office equipment, will be created in Scotland over the next 12 months.
§ Mr. Edward ShortI have made no estimate. It is impossible to equate jobs in the telecommunications industry in Scotland with extra Post Office business there, as the industry produces equipment for other customers at home, and for export, as well as for the Post Office. I expect Scotland to get its share of the increased Post Office business which is going to development areas.
§ Mr. HamiltonMy right hon. Friend will appreciate that we in development areas in Scotland very much welcome this development. Does he also recognise that there are complaints in the local areas concerned that most of the jobs are for women, when jobs for men would be infinitely preferable?
§ Mr. ShortI realise that there are a lot of jobs for women in this kind of business. Next year we are increasing our orders for telephone exchange equipment by almost 30 per cent. and the greater part of this will go to the development areas.