§ 25. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been granted in Fife in each six-monthly period over the last five years; how many applications have been received since the beginning of 1972; and if he will express all these figures in terms of jobs involved, male and female, respectively.
§ Mr. EmeryThe hon. Gentleman will realise that the answer contains three tables of figures. I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. HamiltonDoes the hon. Gentleman recognise that, whatever the figures reveal, the fact is that youth unemployment and unemployment among school leavers has increased dramatically and 988 catastrophically in the last year—among school leavers from 30 to 119 and in the case of youth unemployment from 323 to 571? The Bill which is to be debated in the House this afternoon does nothing to help the new town development corporations which have not yet completed or still have available advance factories which were started before March, 1972.
§ Mr. EmeryYes, but I must say that the new regional measures will provide considerable stimulus to existing industries in the assisted areas. All the requests for development certificates have been met; none has been refused. I would point out—though I accept that it is only one month—that the unemployment figures for May in the hon. Gentleman's constituency are a noticeable decrease.
§ Following is the answer:
| INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES APPROVED IN THE COUNTY OF FIFE* | ||||
| Estimated Additional Employment† | ||||
| Number | Male | Female | ||
| 1.1.67–30. 6.67 | … | 4 | 1,800 | 450 |
| 1.7.67–31.12.67 | … | 10 | 420 | 350 |
| 1.1.68–30. 6.68 | … | 4 | 700 | 560 |
| 1.7.68–31.12.68 | … | 13 | 290 | 380 |
| 1.1.69–30. 6.69 | … | 16 | 310 | 510 |
| 1.7.69–31.12.69 | … | 8 | 180 | 540 |
| 1.1.70–30. 6.70 | … | 10 | 200 | 340 |
| 1.7.70–31.12.70 | … | 6 | 490 | 630 |
| 1.1.71–30. 6.71 | … | 4 | 40 | 60 |
| 1.7.71–31.12.71 | … | 9 | 580 | 90 |
| 1.1.72–30. 4.72 | … | 3 | 150 | 80 |
§ No applications have been refused during these years.
§ *Comprises the employment exchange areas of Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, Cowdenbeath, Levin, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, Burntisland, Cupar, St. Andrews, Anstruther.
§ †Jobs estimated by the applicants to arise when the projects are complete and fully manned.