§ 5. Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure of the number of people in short-time work.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. John Fraser)It is estimated that in the week ended 14th December 1974 71,600 operatives in manufacturing industries in Great Britain 1090 were stood off or working short time. Information about short time amongst other workers is not available.
§ Mr. RostThe figures are hopelessly out of date. How much more acceleration in price and pay inflation leading to mass unemployment and short-time working will the Minister preside over before he accepts ministerial responsibility for the non-existence of the social contract? What does he do in his Department while the country inflates into bankruptcy and recession?
§ Mr. FraserMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment does a great deal more to ensure a high rate of employment than did his predecessors at the Department. On the question of short-time working, I must ask the hon. Gentleman to await publication of the figures later this month. There has been a small drop in the December figure compared with November. Short-time working exists mainly in the consumer and the motor car industries and cannot be attributed to wage inflation.
§ Mr. HayhoeWill the hon. Gentleman give an assurance that we shall have the full figures of short-time working and unemployment in the normal way later this month?
§ Mr. FraserI cannot say whether the figures on short-time working will be published later this week, but on 20th February the normal figures on vacancies will be published.