HC Deb 17 June 1971 vol 819 cc630-1
30. Mr. Edwin Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many mineworkers are unemployed in the South Yorkshire coalfield; and, of these, how many are 55 years of age and over.

The Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. Dudley Smith)

At 10th May, 2,873 males who had last worked in the coalmining industry were registered as unemployed in the Yorkshire coalfield sub-region. A special quarterly return in March showed that of 1,634 colliery workers, unemployed in March, 1,593 were aged 55 years and over.

Mr. Wainwright

Will the Under-Secretary examine this problem? Just over three years ago men were encouraged to leave the pits at age 55 when pits were closing and they received three years' benefit under the Labour Government's Act. Now those men are 58. In addition, there are men who were encouraged to retire from pits in close proximity which were kept open. Those men have been left out on a limb. Will the hon. Gentleman consult the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to see whether more jobs can be brought to these areas to provide these men with work?

Mr. Dudley Smith

There has been consultation. We are well aware of this very difficult problem. Although overall the number of unemployed miners in this area has risen by only 47 in the past year, there is a difficult problem for the elderly miner. We shall do all we can to try to provide other work, but this is an area of comparatively high unemployment.

Mr. Swain

Is the Under-Secretary aware that this problem does not affect only one area and that the situation is very serious in South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and Mid-Derbyshire? North Derbyshire is not recognised as an intermediate area. Will he consult his right hon. Friend with a view to assisting the local authorities in that area to gain intermediate area status?

Mr. Dudley Smith

That is another question. We are aware that there are difficulties for the older miner. This is why we do all we can to try to help over retraining and to place them in jobs outside mining.

Mr. Milne

Will the Under-Secretary bear in mind, and advise his right hon. Friend and Ministers in other Departments, that it is essential in advertising jobs to stop limiting jobs to men under 55? Discrimination against those who accepted redundancy payments should be terminated forthwith.

Mr. Dudley Smith

We always try to encourage all employers not to discriminate on grounds of age and urge that people should be judged on their merits and not on their age.