HC Deb 30 April 1970 vol 800 cc1436-40
9. Sir G. Nabarro

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity out of more than 600,000 men and women registered in early April as unemployed, how many have been out of work, respectively, for three months and over, for six months and over, and 12 months and over; and what steps she is now taking to reduce long-term unemployment.

32. Mr. Tom King

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many persons have been registered unemployed for six months or more.

38. Mr. Fortescue

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will state the number of persons who have been registered unemployed for 12 months or more.

The Minister of State, Department of Employment and Productivity (Mr. Edmund Dell)

The latest detailed duration analysis available relates to January, 1970. At that date, 628,325 males and females were registered as unemployed. They included 608,736 who were wholly unemployed and of these 263,124 had been on the registers for more than three months, 165,108 for more than six months and 97,364 for more than 12 months.

The developments in our employment services and in industrial training and rehabilitation will make some contribution to relieving long-term unemployment, though it is a deep-seated problem.

Sir G. Nabarro

Does not the right hon. Gentleman recognise that Government policy is creating and perpetuating a stagnating pool of unemployed? Is that not a policy of which the Labour Party in bygone years sought to indict my party, whereas the right hon. Gentleman and his Government really are the responsible and culpable persons?

Mr. Dell

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer forecast a reduction in unemployment during the next 12 months. Long-term unemployment, about which the hon. Gentleman was asking, is largely a matter in the higher age groups and in large part has been an effect of the industrial changes which have taken place over the last few years. More than half of those unemployed for 52 weeks are 55 and over; 45 per cent. of those unemployed for six months were 55 or over. Two-thirds of the increase in the over-12 months category in the last two years occurred in the Northern, and Yorks and Humberside Regions and are attributable to the extensive colliery closure programmes and the run-down of many other traditional industries. This creates a serious problem. All the departmental services are available to assist wherever possible.

Mr. Tom King

In presenting these appalling figures, does not the Minister recognise that industrial training and priorities are useless without employment opportunities to go with them? Does he not also recognise the urgent need for consultation with his colleague the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning to ensure that the money available for development is spent most effectively in the creation of new jobs?

Mr. Dell

The regional development policies introduced by this Government have been more effective than any previous policies. Without them the massive run-down in traditional industries which has occurred in this country would have resulted in far worse unemployment figures. In fact, there has been a considerable increase in the employment opportunities in the development areas as a direct result of this Government's regional policies.

Mr. Tinn

Is my hon. Friend not nauseated by the crocodile tears of hon. Members opposite about unemployment while they constantly attack the massive incentives in regional development policies pursued by this Government?

Mr. Dell

I know their attitude, and I also know that their policies in regional employment incentives could only have a disastrous effect on employment opportunities in development areas.

Mr. Biffen

The right hon. Gentleman has referred to the generalised assertion by the Chancellor that he thought unemployment was likely to fall. Since the Minister of State answers for the Ministry directly responsible for employment, could he give to the House some kind of quantification of that fall which was referred to by the Chancellor in such general terms?

Mr. Dell

I cannot give any such quantification, and no Minister in any Government would reply to that question in quantitative terms. I merely drew attention to the estimate made by the Chancellor in regard to employment prospects in the next 12 months.

Mr. Heffer

Would my right hon. Friend, despite the crocodile tears opposite, admit nevertheless that the level of unemployment is much too high? Would he not agree that it is particularly high in the building industry, whose members comprise almost a quarter of the unemployed? Would he make it clear to the Chancellor that we must do more to help the industry out of this difficult situation?

Mr. Dell

I agree that the unemployment figures are too high, and I agree that the situation in the construction industry is serious. On the other hand, the recent measures introduced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor and other measures referred to in a recent debate by the Minister of Public Building and Works will, I hope, have a considerable impact on unemployment in the construction industry.

Mr. Dudley Smith

But are not regional policies failing when in the Northern Region alone 23 per cent. of the unemployed have been out of work for a year or more? Is it not time that the Minister started taking some positive action, beginning by cutting S.E.T.?

Mr. Dell

That particular remedy would make the difficulties greater. One of the greatest aids given by this Government to development areas has been the regional employment premium, which I understand the Conservative Party wishes to abolish, though it has not clearly stated when. What is clear is that it would do major damage to employment opportunities by taking away the one labour-intensive incentive for employment in the development areas that currently exists.

Mr. Simon Mahon

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the situation on Merseyside is not helped by the attitude of Merseyside dock employers, who are now refusing to employ or recruit any man who is over 30? This is making the position of the older man almost impossible.

Mr. Dell

I agree with my hon. Friend that if that is happening it is a serious matter which should be investigated.

25. Mr. Judd

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will make a statement on her Department's policy towards those areas with above average unemployment in regions with below average unemployment.

Mr. Dell

In these areas, as in all areas, our local officers do all they can to help workers who register with us to find employment, including the offer of training opportunities where appropriate. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology takes full account of local levels of unemployment in considering applications for industrial development certificates for the areas referred to in my hon. Friend's Question.

Mr. Judd

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask whether he will not agree that an unemployed person is a supreme social challenge, wherever he may be? Will not he further agree that in, for example, Kent, Sussex and Hampshire there are pockets of disturbing unemployment in areas which do not share in the prosperity of the South-East? Will he ensure that his Department has the interests of such people high in its priorities at all times?

Mr. Dell

I agree about unemployment being a supreme social problem. As for my hon. Friend's constituency, he will be interested to know that 98 projects which have been issued i.d.cs are still to be completed and are expected to create 4,350 jobs in the Portsmouth travel-towork area when the projects are fully manned.

Mr. Scott

Although the right hon. Gentleman agrees that unemployment is a supreme social problem, when will the level be reduced to what the Prime Minister calls an acceptable level, which is somewhere between 1½ and 2 per cent?

Mr. Dell

As I have said, the significance of the unemployment figures has greatly changed over the last few years due to certain measures introduced by this Government. But my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has forecast a fall in unemployment during the next 12 months.