12. Mrs. Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men and women in the West Midlands are totally and partially unemployed, respectively.
§ Mr. John FraserOn 11th February, the latest date for which figures are available, 40,576 males and 7,778 females were unemployed in the West Midland Region. On the same day 170,172 were temporarily stopped and there were also 187,525 who were working on that day but who were temporarily stopped on other days in the week beginning 11th February. Since then the numbers temporarily stopped have fallen substantially and the latest estimate is 30,803.
Mrs. ShortI am obliged to my hon. Friend for that reply. Will he bear in mind that, in the West Midlands, Wolverhampton was badly hit when the Tory Party introduced the three-day working week? As most of our industries in Wolverhampton rely on a constant steel supply, will he ensure that his right hon. Friend gets the steel industry working at full capacity as soon as possible?
§ Mr. FraserI want to be as helpful as I can to my hon. Friend. Matters of steel supply are for the Secretary of State for Industry, and as the Question relates only to the West Midlands I cannot give her the figures for unemployment in Wolverhampton. I am sure she is delighted to know that almost 250,000 people who were temporarily unemployed are now back at work as a result of the Labour Government.