§ 19. Mr. Anthony Grantasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unemployed in the Greater London travel-to-work area for the month of October 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1976; and if he will express them as a percentage of the total employed population in that area.
§ Mr. GoldingIn October 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976 the numbers unemployed in the Greater London travel-to-work area were 49,077, 59,931 120,539 and 160,368 respectively. The rates of unemployment represented by these figures were 1.3, 1.5, 3.1 and 4.1 per cent, respectively.
§ Mr. GrantIs the Minister aware that at 4.1 per cent, the unemployment rate in Greater London is exactly what the unemployment rate was in the development areas in 1973? What policy changes does he propose in order to arrest this deplorable trend and to get London back to work, with or without Labour?
§ Mr. GoldingI was not aware of that figure. In his statement on dockland on 5th August, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced certain measures to bring further work to London. The Government are well aware of the very high level of unemployment in several areas of London.
§ Mr. Christopher PriceIs it not time that we at least stopped moving jobs out of London? Will my hon. Friend look carefully at the proposal to move the office of the Government Chemist out of London, since this proposal will make an already intensely serious situation in South-East London a good deal worse?
§ Mr. GoldingThe needs of the various regions of the United Kingdom have to be balanced by the Government. The Government are aware in particular of the serious loss of jobs in the East End of London and other badly-hit areas in the inner City.
§ Mr. PriorIs the Minister aware that for the whole of Question Time so far 1105 we have had a series of pitiful and pathetic answers? Have the Government no policy to put into practice their election slogan of " Back to work with Labour", or are we always to have a Labour Government increasing unemployment?
§ Mr. GoldingAgain the right hon. Gentleman makes the point that if he were at this Dispatch Box he would be announcing savage public expenditure cuts which would bring further unemployment to London. The Government have, through special measures, brought 9,700 jobs to London. That has certainly not been with the full support of the Opposition.
§ Mr. GrantIn view of the most unsatisfactory nature of that reply, Mr. Speaker, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on another occasion.