Unemployment (Hansard, 31 January 1973)

§ 1. Mr. William Hamilton
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for reducing youth unemployment in the next two years.

§ The Under-Secretary of State for Health and Education, Scottish Office (Mr. Hector Monro)
The Government will continue to pursue policies aimed at reducing unemployment for both adults and young people in Scotland, through regional incentives and measures to stimulate growth in the United Kingdom economy.

§ Mr. Hamilton
What kind of gobbledegook is that? Does not the hon. Gentleman realise that this is probably the most squalid part of the increased unemployment problem in Scotland since the present Government came to power and that they have done precisely nothing about it? What new steps do the Government intend to take in the next 18 months? I hope that the hon. Gentleman will not tell us that the figures have improved since last year. We know that, 1332 because they were a damned sight worse last year than they were three years ago.

§ Mr. Monro
If the hon. Gentleman reads HANSARD tomorrow he will see that my answer was clear and straightforward. The hon. Gentleman will know, but he tries to escape the fact, that the trend is downwards. I am not trying to dodge the issue that unemployment among young people is serious. We have brought forward regional policies to help this very matter. In the short term we have brought forward the award scheme with which we have encouraged training boards to proceed, and we have also brought forward the Government's Vocational Training Scheme which has been extended to include young people in limited skill courses. We have grant-aided the experimental scheme by the National Association of Youth Clubs—more commonly known as the Community Industry Scheme—which is helping and working quite well.

§ Mr. Hugh D. Brown
As regards the Community Industry Scheme, while recognising that this is not a cure for unemployment may I ask whether the hon. Gentleman is consulted by his right hon. Friend on the need to develop this idea in Scotland where there are only two centres? Will he use his influence to extend what is an excellent scheme, bearing in mind that many of us recognise that there are problems in what one does with these young people at the end of the training period? We want to be reasonable about this.

§ Mr. Monro
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for that. We in the Scottish Office are in close touch with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment who will shortly be making an announcement.

§ Mr. Ross
I hope that the Minister will not seek to give an answer which reeks of complacency. He will appreciate that in January of this year, taking the whole educational session, there will be a reduction in the number of children leaving school of more than 40,000. As they did not come on to the labour market in January it should have been very much easier for those who were already unemployed to get a job. It must be very disappointing for the Secretary of 1333 State that we have the highest proportion of school leavers unemployed for any area in the country and that overall the unemployment figure is the second highest in the post-war period, amounting to nearly 130,000.

§ Mr. Monro
I hope the right hon. Gentleman will appreciate that I said this was a serious situation. I shall not try to dodge the issue, but I ask the right hon. Gentleman to take the point that unemployment is 22 per cent. down on what it was a year ago and that the trend is encouraging.

§ Mr. Ross
The figure is bound to be lower as children are not leaving school and going on to the labour market.

§ Mr. Hamilton
Answer that.