§ 2. Mr. Hal Millerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest indications of job vacancies and unemployed in Redditch.
§ Mr. John FraserIn May the Redditch employment office held 514 job vacancies and the careers office held 206. There were 407 people unemployed and registered at the two offices. The vacancy statistics relate only to vacancies notified to the employment and careers offices and do not measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.
§ Mr. MillerIn view of the figures given by the Minister, for which I am grateful, does he agree that from the point of view of employment there is no great hurry to take a decision about attracting large-scale industry to Redditch, and that we should come to a decision on the future size of Redditch without reference to the need to attract employment?
§ Mr. FraserThe hon. Gentleman probably has in mind the application which has been made for an industrial development certificate in the constituency which he represents. Matters of balance of employment between one part of the country and another are considered by the Department of Industry and I am sure that that Department will take those and other considerations into account.