HC Deb 28 March 1972 vol 834 cc229-30
Q6. Mr. Kaufman

asked the Prime Minister whether he will decrease the number of Ministers at the Department of Employment.

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir—No, Sir. [Laughter.]

Mr. Kaufman

The Government are changing policies quickly, but this is ridiculous. [Laughter.]

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Under-Secretary of State for Employment said that the tide of unemployment was turning on the very day last week when the number of hard-core unemployed in Manchester reached a post-war record? Now that the Government are at last acceding to our plea to grant intermediate area status to the Greater Manchester area, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to strengthen the attractions of the status of the area by making industrial development certificates freely available, by giving us 10 per cent. plant and machinery grants and by giving us the full two-year period of the 50 per cent. increased housing improvement grants?

The Prime Minister

The hon. Gentleman rightly says that there is now an intermediate area stretching right across the country, including Lancashire, Yorkshire and Humberside. The grants available there are a great improvement on anything which has been made available before. On the other hand, we must keep a reasonable difference between intermediate and development areas. I hope that we have now struck the right balance.

Mr. Redmond

Has my right hon. Friend noticed that the Labour-controlled Corporation of Manchester has just increased its rates by 13p in the £ whereas the Tory-controlled Bolton Corporation has increased its rates by only 2p, showing which party encourages industry to expand in these areas?

The Prime Minister

I am sure that the rates in these areas are a very important factor.

Mr. James Hamilton

When talking about the regions to the Scottish Assembly delegation yesterday, did the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that there would be a dramatic decrease in unemployment in Scotland? Was he able to say what the Government regard as a tolerable level of unemployment?

The Prime Minister

We had a full discussion with representatives of the Assembly yesterday. It lasted for nearly two hours and covered a wide range of problems affecting Scotland. They welcomed the measures which the Government have taken and expressed the belief that they would have a considerable effect on the economy of Scotland; and we discussed other measures which they would like to see introduced, particularly in the short-term.