Unemployment

HC Deb 13 October 1975 vol 897 cc841-2

9. Mr. Wyn Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from local authorities in Wales concerning the present level of unemployment.

Mr. John Morris

A number of authorities have expressed their concern to me about the rate of unemployment in their particular areas.

Mr. Roberts

I appreciate that the Government's recruitment subsidy scheme for school leavers comes into effect today, but what is the Minister proposing to do about those young people who do not want to work immediately but would prefer to go on technical college courses, but cannot do so because the money is not available to those colleges? The right hon. and learned Gentleman knows that this is a serious problem in North Wales, particularly in Bangor and Colwyn Bay.

Mr. Morris

The number of places in technical colleges is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science. I take note of the hon. Gentleman's questions, and I shall consult my right hon. Friend further on this issue.

Mr. Anderson

Would my right hon. and learned Friend care to comment on the success of the recent meeting between the Wales TUC and the Prime Minister on this very subject?

Mr. Morris

Last Friday, the Wales TUC discussed with a number of colleagues, including my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, its deep concern about unemployment. It was a very useful discussion, in that one was able, for a substantial period of time, to go over the many issues of deep concern to the Wales TUC.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

Does the Secretary of State realise that in the present crisis we need more than just useful discussions, that he does not talk his way out of the problem by blaming me for pressing one priority instead of another in my constituency—hospital beds instead of the re-organisation of education—and that the present rate of unemployment is caused by the Government's failure to act last year, by their excessive expendi- tures, and by their ruthless squeeze on profits, and that the unemployment that will arise when they start to take action against inflation will have to be added to the present shameful levels?

Mr. Morris

I am in a difficulty in trying to analyse the question that the hon. Gentleman is asking. He must make up his mind. He will be labelled a political schizophrenic if he cannot decide whether he is for or against public expenditure in relation to his own parish.

Mr. Wigley

Further to the right hon. and learned Gentleman's comment about the meeting with the Wales TUC, will he say whether the Government have given any commitment for additional funds to Wales for solving the economic problem and whether they have committed themselves to meeting the whole of the £18 million asked for, or a specific part of it?

Mr. Morris

The Government, in the discussions headed by the Prime Minister, made it clear that there was nothing additional to the measures which were announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24th September and by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, but we agreed to consider the matter further and to have another meeting with the Wales TUC in the autumn and the early part of the new year to monitor progress.

Mr. Geraint Howells

What representations, if any, has the Secretary of State had from both farmers' unions in Wales about unemployment?

Mr. Morris

I have recently met one of the farming unions in Wales. It is deeply concerned about the problems of the milk industry but in the course of the discussions it raised a number of other issues. I hope fairly soon to meet the other union, and I am sure that it will set out its concern about milk and other issues.