§ 9. Mr. Eadieasked the Secretary of State for Employment what increases in staff he expects to make this year in his Department to deal with unemployment; and what the respective figures are for each region.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithThe staffing system allows for adjustments—upwards and downwards—to deal with changes in volumes of work which depend on the level of unemployment. I am satisfied that sufficient staff will be available to deal with my Department's unemployment work this year, both nationally and regionally.
§ Mr. EadieIs the hon. Gentleman not somewhat alarmed about the level of unemployment, particularly in Scotland, where we have over 120,000 unemployed, with a deteriorating economy? Will he confirm or deny the calculations made by industry and trade unions that unless the Government do something immediately we shall have over 160,000 unemployed in Scotland next winter?
§ Mr. SmithLike the previous Administration, we do not make assessments of the likely future level of unemployment. Like the hon. Gentleman, we are concerned about the level of unemployment. He could make a valuable contribution to bringing down that level by discouraging his right hon. Friends from encouraging excessive wage demands and by getting them to talk demands down instead of consistently talking them up.
§ Mr. Tom KingCan my hon. Friend say whether any of the adequate staff in his Department are yet employed on the long-range study of the unemployment problem, referred to by the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Molloy) who pointed out the ever-increasing level of unemployment which can be identified since 1955? Is he aware that there is a 562 growing trend which invites considerable concern over the future employment prospects, irrespective of the level of demand and reflation?
§ Mr. SmithI noted with great interest the valuable speech by my hon. Friend on this subject. A number of my officers are employed on this and we are having wide-ranging studies on the whole question of manpower policy and unemployment. As my hon. Friend rightly points out, this rise in unemployment has been going on remorselessly since 1966 and this Administration will not be able suddenly to bring down the level of unemployment any more than the previous Administration was able to do so. The situation is now being tackled in a realistic way, whereas it was neglected by the last Administration.
§ Mr. VarleyCan the hon. Gentleman confirm that the increased numbers being employed in his Department are people who were previously working in the Department of Trade and Industry providing jobs in the weaker regions of Britain? Is this not a deplorable situation which has arisen?
§ Mr. SmithNo. We adopt a flexible policy and members of the staff are deployed where they are most needed. Unemployment will not be solved by having extra people to deal with employment placing. The primary concern of my Department will be to reduce unemployment by the correct policies, which the Government are pursuing.