HC Deb 11 June 1969 vol 784 cc1430-1
1. Mr. Monro

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will identify the particular service industries in which it is estimated 60,000 new jobs will be created in the six years 1965 to 1970.

The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. William Ross)

Among the sectors which will contribute to the 60,000 additional jobs in expanding service industries are professional and scientific services, public administration and insurance and banking.

Mr. Monro

Is the Secretary of State aware that in the first paragraph of "A Plan for Expansion" he forecast that there would be 60,000 jobs by 1970? Where are they, and how many has he obtained so far?

Mr. Ross

So far, in the services I have listed plus miscellaneous services there has been an increase in new jobs of 57,000.

11. Mr. Buchanan-Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the effect of the selective employment tax on the achievement of the target of 60,000 new jobs in service industries by 1970, as projected in the White Paper, The Scottish Economy 1965–1970, Command Paper Number 2864.

Mr. Ross

The total number of new jobs in the service industries as a whole is likely to be close to the figure mentioned in the Paper on "The Scottish Economy".

The figures available indicate that losses of employment in certain sectors of service industry, though significant, have been largely compensated by new jobs in other sectors.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

In spite of what the Secretary of State says, is he aware of the conclusion in the Gaskin Committee's Report that S.E.T. is accelerating the migration of workers from the North-East of Scotland? How does he reconcile this with his aim of increasing employment?

Mr. Ross

We have time and time again explained that our main concern is with the overall state of the economy. The implication of this is that we must improve the outlook for the manufacturing industries, thereby consequentially benefiting the service industries.

Mr. Lawson

Will my right hon. Friend tell the House what is the balance of profit to Scotland if S.E.T. and the regional employment premium are taken together?

Mr. Ross

Not without notice.

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