§ 1. Mr. Bradfordasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the unemployment situation in Northern Ireland; and what measures he intends to take to reduce its level in the Province.
§ The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. J. D. Concannon)In January of this year, the latest date for which information is available, the total number of unemployed in Northern Ireland was 57,975 or 10.9 per cent. of all employees. The Government will continue to make every effort to preserve existing employment and to stimulate new job opportunities.
§ Mr. BradfordIs the Minister aware that, if conditions of fair competition are not secured for the heavy and light clothing industries in Northern Ireland, this will add considerably to the alarming 1632 figure of unemployed in the Province? Is he also aware that the removal of every defence establishment in Northern Ireland, with the exception of the guided missile section at Short Brothers and Harland, has added unnecessarily to the unemployment level and is nonsense in terms of military strategy?
§ Mr. ConcannonThe main long-term cause of the decline in sections on which Northern Ireland has traditionally relied for employment is the current recession, but the civil disturbances have also made it difficult to attract new industry. When Rolls-Royce was leaving the Province we wrote to 1,400 leading firms in 13 different countries. Only 33 replied and 17 expressed an interest. Only one of those firms is now interested. Those are the lengths to which we go.
§ Mr. FittThe figure of over 50,000 unemployed in Northern Ireland is intolerable and unacceptable for any region of the United Kingdom. Is the line of communication between the Department and trade unions in Northern Ireland adequate to deal with this disastrous situation? Do the Government plan to set up new State-sponsored industries in Northern Ireland?
§ Mr. ConcannonOur relations with the trade unions in Northern Ireland are as good now as they have ever been. Since 1972 the number of employed in Northern Ireland has risen from 470,487 to 494,000. That means that there are more workers in Northern Ireland than there have been for a long time. We shall do all we can to help. Sometimes, however, I feel like the fellow who tried to sell caravan holidays on the beaches of Normandy in 1944.
§ Mr. KilfedderSince energy costs, particularly those of electricity are so high, will the hon. Gentleman provide immediate aid to industry so that it is able to compete more favourably with the rest of the United Kingdom and with the EEC and to take on more workers?
§ Mr. ConcannonWe have many pluses vis-à-vis the rest of the country and the EEC with our investment programmes in Northern Ireland. We have some minuses as well. Among the pluses is the retention of the regional employment 1633 premium. The situation has been considered in the Quigley Report, which we are examining.