§ 2. Mr. Hicksasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons are unemployed in the South-West assisted area; what was the percentage unemployment figure at the latest available date, and what are the corresponding figures for 1975.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. John Golding)In September 1976, the number of people registered as unemployed in the South-West assisted area was 24,876 and the rate of unemployment was 9.1 per cent. The corresponding figures for September 1975 were 19,913 and 7.3 per cent.
§ Mr. HicksDoes the Minister agree that that is a most depressing state of affairs, particularly for the younger person? When will Ministers, both in the Department of Industry and in his Department, appreciate that the structural unem- 1092 ployment difficulties in rural assisted areas can be just as great as those of the urban industrial areas?
§ Mr. GoldingI agree that the situation is very depressing for all concerned, but it is brighter than we might have expected for the take-up of school leavers. The problem is mostly amongst young people who have already had a job. The Government have given great financial assistance to the South-West assisted area.
§ Mr. HannamIs the Minister aware that the Government's present policy of switching aid to the urban stress areas is working directly against the South-West region especially in the building and construction industry? There is no basic infrastructure in that area and therefore the switching of aid is leading to unemployment in the building and construction industry, and a lack of confidence in that industry.
§ Mr. GoldingThe Government have no policy of discriminating against rural areas. In the last period unemployment fell in the South-West assisted area.