§ 6. Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently unemployed in Nuneaton and Bed worth; and how this compares with the similar period in 1970 and 1971.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithIn the area covered by the Nuneaton and Bed worth employment exchanges, at June, 1972, the total number registered as unemployed was 2,600, including 626 workers who were temporarily stopped. The total for June, 1971, was 2,497, of whom 686 were temporarily stopped, and for June, 1970, it was 1,849, including 808 temporarily stopped.
§ Mr. HuckfieldDoes not the Minister regard these as shocking figures, particularly when one bears in mind that they represent percentages which compare unfavourably with places which have development area status? With question marks hanging over almost every industry in the area, what can my 222 constituents look forward to under the present Government?
§ Mr. SmithThe hon. Member's constituents can look forward to a better rate of employment because unemployment locally fell by 340 last month and at last the trend is in the right direction. The wholly unemployed rate for men in the Coventry travel-to-work area is now the same as that for the whole of the West Midlands. The hon. Gentleman's pessimism does nothing to assist his area.
§ Mr. HuckfieldNeither does the hon. Gentleman's optimism.