EMPLOYMENT (Hansard, 23 March 1971)

§ Q3. Mr. Skinner
asked the Prime Minister how many representations have been made to him since 1st January regarding the level of unemployment.

§ The Prime Minister
I have discussed the state of the economy, including the level of unemployment, with a variety of organisations and individuals, and I have found widespread concern about the consequences for employment of inflationary wage demands.

§ Mr. Skinner
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it has taken his Government only nine months to produce the worst unemployment figures since the war, and that by the end of July thousands of school-leavers will be added to the growing army of the unemployed? When he referred in the election campaign to building one society, did he really mean that he was giving equal opportunity to all men to stand in a dole queue?

§ The Prime Minister
What I am aware of, and what those with whom I have discussed the matter are fully aware of, is the rising wage-cost inflation which we inherited from the Labour Government. The fact that the escalation in these claims has now been halted, and that there are signs of de-escalation, can be the basis—[Interruption.] I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman does not want to see inflation conquered in this country. When inflation is conquered there will be the basis for a sound expansion.

§ Mr. Crouch
Has my right hon. Friend had his attention drawn to the growing problem of unemployment in the South-East region, particularly in North-East 246 Kent, where, although it is an area of relatively satisfactory economic conditions, there has been continuing and growing unemployment which the Department of Trade and Industry has not yet succeeded in solving?

§ The Prime Minister
With great respect to my hon. Friend, it is not the responsibility of the Department of Trade and Industry to solve the particular problem of North-East Kent. I am well aware of the problems, many of which have arisen through the rationalisation of the larger companies in this country in an endeavour to maintain their efficiency and retain their export markets. What we must do is to encourage industry to go into such areas to take up the place which has been made for them by the rationalisation of existing companies.

§ Mr. Harold Wilson
Leaving on one side the right hon. Gentleman's polemical utterances about alibis and scapegoats, has he received any representations or information about what I am sure he will agree is a very serious development, the growth of white-collar unemployment, for example, amongst sale staffs, executive staffs, design staffs, and so on? Perhaps he will look into this and tell the House later whether he is satisfied that the machinery of the Department of Employment is adequate to deal with the placing of those in the white-collar grades who are unemployed, not least those who are over 45 or 50.

§ The Prime Minister
To the best of my knowledge, I have not had any representations on this aspect of the problem, but I will make sure about that. I will certainly ask my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment to look further into the question. Particular cases may arise at present as a result of the problems of Rolls-Royce. Here the Department of Employment has already made special arrangements for trying to find employment for design staffs and others concerned with the film.