HC Deb 01 August 1972 vol 842 cc324-7
2. Mr. Edward Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many notified unfilled vacancies there were in the catering industry in Scotland at the latest available date.

Mr. Dudley Smith

At 5th July the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the hotel and catering industry in Scotland was 1,141. The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

Mr. Taylor

Is there not something grotesque about the situation when, with more than 100,000 unemployed, there are so many vacancies in the catering trade? As part of the reason why people do not go in for these jobs may be the industry's historic record of poor wages and bad working conditions, and as things have improved significantly in recent years, will my hon. Friend encourage the industry to publicise the situation in it, with particular reference to current wages and working conditions?

Mr. Smith

My hon. Friend is right. Conditions have improved considerably in recent years, but we have to face the fact that these jobs are often still not attractive. We are doing everything we can to encourage more unemployed people to go into the hotel and catering industry. The employment exchange at Glasgow has specialist facilities to deal entirely with skilled hotel and catering occupations, and I am glad to say that we are making arrangements for improving the notification of vacancies and also that we are linking the specialist section in Glasgow with liaison officers in selected areas in Scotland. This should result in a considerable improvement.

Mr. William Hamilton

Will the Under-Secretary ascertain to what extent it is a disincentive to people wanting to go into this industry that hotels are deliberately disobeying the law on fire precautions? As we are all supposed to be upholders of the rule of law, may I ask what steps the Government are taking to ensure that the hotel industry obeys the law and therefore gets the labour it deserves?

Mr. Smith

I am sure the hon. Gentleman will agree that I am not responsible for enforcement of the fire regulations, but I should not have thought that was a disincentive to people wanting to go into the industry. The question of fire precautions in hotels was raised during the Report stage of the Finance Bill, when my hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave certain assurances about help to small hotel keepers. Obviously this is something we must keep in mind, but if people are to be discouraged from going into the hotel industry it will he for reasons other than the lack of fire precautions.

9. Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many notified unfilled vacancies there were in the catering industry in the South-Western region at the latest available date.

Mr. Dudley Smith

At 5th July, the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the hotel and catering industry in the South-West region was 2,102. The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

Mr. Adley

Has my hon. Friend noticed that a number of my hon. Friends from various parts of the country have tabled Questions today and have expressed concern about unfilled vacancies in the tourist industry? Is he further aware that yesterday the Northumbria Tourist Board, at a meeting in the House with officers of the Parliamentary Tourism Committee, expressed the opinion that more education is needed on this point, directed particularly to school leavers? Will he seek an opportunity to have meetings with his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science to discuss the need for education and job retraining in the tourist industry?

Mr. Smith

We always try to be helpful and I shall certainly endeavour to consult my right hon. Friend on the point my hon. Friend raises. We are doing what we can to make known to a wider audience the career opportunities in the hotel and catering industry. We are doing that via employment exchanges and youth career officers. The situation is improving and will continue to improve. The efforts such as those of my hon. Friend help considerably, and I am glad that there is this concern over the tourist industry because it is of such importance to the country.

Mr. Ashton

Is the Minister aware that one of the reasons for these unfilled vacancies is that barmaids are paid as little as 25p per hour in my area and have not had a pay increase for four or five years? Will he do something to persuade the brewers, who are continually pushing up the price of beer, to pass on some of their profits to this branch of the industry and to see whether people in the industry can have a decent minimum wage?

Mr. Smith

The question of the wages of barmaids is not for me. But there are areas in this industry which are still relatively low paid. On the other hand, there are other parts of it which are much better paid than they used to be, with better conditions of work. I believe it is our duty to make known to as wide a section of people as possible the job opportunities occurring in the tourist industry, because this can provide, in areas of relatively high unemployment, some very good long-term employment prospects.

10. Mr. Wyn Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many notified unfilled vacancies there were in the hotel and catering industry in Wales at the latest available date.

Mr. Dudley Smith

At 5th July the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the hotel and catering industry in Wales was 904. The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

Mr. Roberts

Is my hon. Friend aware that many of these unfilled vacancies will be filled in due course by people from outside Wales, although we still have a very high unemployment figure? What steps is he taking to advertise the attractions of the tourist industry to Welsh people—young Welsh people in particular? This industry earned us over £130 million last year.

Mr. Smith

As I said earlier, we are endeavouring to make known to as wide an audience as possible the job opportunities in the tourist industry. We are doing a great deal about training. Next year we are doubling to over 1,000 the number of people being trained in colleges of further education and employers' establishments. In addition, in the past year 200 people were trained under the apprentice award scheme operated jointly by the Department of Employment and the Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board. The accent now is very much on training in the tourist industry and I hope that it will go on improving.

Mr. Palmer

Surely the Under-Secretary is not suggesting that skilled but unemployed engineering fitters in Bristol should become catering workers.

Mr. Smith

I am not suggesting that. I heard someone say the other day that unemployed and half-deaf riveters make very bad waiters. This is true. No one would suggest that people should be transferred from one area to another where they perhaps would be very unsuited. In addition, I am sure the hon. Gentleman will recognise sincerely that there are good job opportunities in the hotel and catering industry, particularly for young people, if they receive the right encouragement and the right training. This is what we are seeking to achieve.