§ 41. Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the change in the total number of persons in employment in Scotland, in the number of men in employment, and in the number of persons employed in the service and distributive trades, respectively, between June, 1965, and June, 1969; and what was the percentage of total United Kingdom male jobs arising in Scotland in June, 1965, and June, 1969, respectively.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (Mr. Harold Walker)Employment estimates for June, 1969, for Scotland are not yet available. Provisional estimates show that between June, 1965, and March, 1969, the number of employees in employment in Scotland decreased by 53,000. The number of males decreased by 67,000 and the number of females increased by 14,000. At both of these dates, 8.9 per cent. of all the male employees in employment in the United Kingdom were in Scotland.
Estimates for Scotland analysed by industry are available only for June each year. Between June, 1965, and June, 1968, the numbers of employees in employment in Scotland decreased by 9,500 580 in the service industries, including the distributive trades.
The decrease over the same period in the number of employees in employment in the distributive trades in Scotland was 21,600.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneWhy have we not yet had the June, 1969, figures? The Department is taking a long time; is it trying to cook them? Will the hon. Gentleman tell us how he would answer a Scottish taxpayer who complained about the hundreds of millions of £s of his money which has been spent in Scotland only to produce a vast fall of 67,000 in the number of male jobs?
§ Mr. WalkerI hope the hon. Gentleman took careful note of my reply, when I pointed out that at both the relevant dates the percentage of males in employment in the United Kingdom had remained constant for Scotland. I also point out that the latest unemployment figures show a 4,000 drop for Scotland, and I hope he will share my rejoicing in that.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellIs the Minister aware that the Defence White Paper published today announces the loss of several hundreds of jobs in Scotland because of the closure of an establishment near Perth, following the closure already announced of the ordnance factory at Alexandria, the result of the débâcle over the Mark 24 torpedo? When will the Government get down to effective methods of development, making better use of the money involved?
§ Mr. WalkerMy Department is not responsible for torpedoes, but I remind the hon. Gentleman that the latest figure shows a 4,000 drop in unemployment in Scotland.