HC Deb 04 April 1978 vol 947 cc226-8
10. Mr. Tim Renton

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many new jobs he expects to be created in United Kingdom manufacturing industry in the calendar year 1979 and the calendar year 1980.

Mr. Harold Walker

The Government's policies seek to bring about an eventual expansion of jobs sufficient to reduce unemployment and meet the needs of the extra workers expected to join the labour force over the next few years. When they will succeed depends on a variety of factors only partly within Government control, and I therefore see little point in trying to produce estimates of this kind.

Mr. Renton

Is it not the case that one such estimate has already been produced? Did not the Chancellor of the Exchequer recently state that he saw 2 million new jobs being created over the next few years as a result of the Government's industrial strategy? Does the Minister agree with that or does he think that that forecast is unrealistic and crude election-mongering, as was the Chancellor's statement during the October 1974 General Election about an 8.4 per cent, rate of inflation?

Mr. Harold Walker

The hon. Gentleman ought to read what the Chancellor said and not what the newspapers suggested he might have said. I dealt with this same point fully on 31st January in reply to a Question from the hon. Gentleman. I will refresh his memory as to what the Chancellor said. I quoted then what the Chancellor had said in Glasgow on 27th January. He was referring to the work of the 40 sector working parties and their analysis of the problems. He said: Although"—

Mr. Renton

Reading.

Mr. Harold Walker

Of course I am reading. I am quoting the Chancellor's speech to the hon. Gentleman.

Mr. Speaker

Order. That is all right as long as the Minister does not read the whole speech. Please keep it as brief as possible.

Mr. Harold Walker

I shall be as brief as I can, Mr. Speaker. The Chancellor said: Although in these sectors employment overall is not likely to increase dramatically from such improvements in productivity, the balance of payments benefit they generate should enable the Government to run the economy at a level of demand sufficient to produce between ½ million and 1 million additional jobs".

Mr. Terry Walker

Can my hon. Friend tell us about one matter that is vital to the manufacturing industry, namely, the efforts being made to get more apprentices, especially in the engineering and tool-making industries, because a lack of apprentices would be a big drawback to the expansion of manufacturing industry later?

Mr. Harold Walker

My hon. Friend and the House will be pleased to know that we have been able to sustain the number of young people in apprenticeships in the engineering industry over the last three years and that there are now more people in such apprenticeships than when we came to office in 1974 and compared with most of the period when the Conservatives were in power. This is almost entirely due to the support given by the Government to the Engineering Industry Training Board.

Mr. Hayhoe

Do the Government still believe that between 500,000 and 1 million new jobs can be created in the next few years, and when do they think that a start will be made on their creation?

Mr. Harold Walker

I have quoted to the House the words of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. A start has been made. The hon. Gentleman may not like it, but the current level of unemployment is below that officially recorded in March 1972, when it was 1½ million. There are also 500,000 more people in employment now than there were five years ago.