HC Deb 10 July 1969 vol 786 cc1551-2
8. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what are the latest figures for unemployment in Scotland; and what is her estimate of the number of long-term unemployed, who through no fault of their own are unable to work.

Mr. Fernyhough

At the latest count on 10th June there were 75,000 persons on the unemployment registers in Scotland, including 71,000 wholly unemployed. On 14th April, the latest date for which I have comprehensive statistics of the duration of unemployment, 35.5 per cent. of the wholly unemployed had been on the registers for six months or more. To judge from past studies, I would say that a substantial proportion of these would find difficulty on personal grounds in getting work.

Mr. Dalyell

At a time when, thanks to Government policy, the Scottish unemployment figures are extremely healthy and favourable, would not this be the moment, when no one can accuse of gerrymandering, to alter the presentation of the statistics?

Mr. Fernyhough

I assure my hon. Friend that there will be no gerrymandering with figures, whether they are favourable or unfavourable, so long as I have to answer about them. I am glad that my hon. Friend has noted the improvement in the Scottish employment figures. I hope that the numbers of unemployed will continue to decrease, because this will be a good reflection of the success of our regional policy.

Mr. R. Carr

The Under-Secretary has just referred to the success of the employment figures in Scotland. Have not the numbers actually employed in Scotland fallen compared with the position a few years ago?

Mr. Fernyhough

In total, yes. If anybody believes that we could have inherited a coalmining industry, a steel industry, and a railway industry in the state in which hon. Members left them and then not have experienced a substantial decline in those industries, they do not know what has been happening. Of course there has been a decrease. Right hon. Members on the Opposition Front Bench have made it clear in recent speeches that they failed to take cognisance of the rundown in the basic industries. Therefore, we should not be accused of being too responsible for the decrease.

9. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what study she has made of the extent to which Scottish unemployment figures are artificially swollen by the fact that over the past three years more men and women are taking longer between leaving one job and taking another, to try and make certain that the job to which they go is suitable.

Mr. Fernyhough

Over the three years up to June, 1969, the percentage of persons on the unemployment registers in Scotland for eight weeks or less fell from 38.8 to 34.6. This may in part be due to a more selective attitude on the part of registrants in deciding what jobs to take but the general level of unemployment would also influence the figures.

Mr. Dalyell

Is it more than possible to guess at the cause of the selective attitude?

Mr. Fernyhough

I think that the introduction of our wage-related benefits and redundancy payments have meant that the unemployed man is not down immediately to the poverty level; therefore, he has a right, and takes advantage of that right, because he has the economic support, to look round a little longer so that he can find a job which is appropriate to his talents and which he believes will be satisfying.