HC Deb 20 February 1979 vol 963 cc235-7
10. Mr. Hal Miller

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he takes to ascertain the number of unfilled jobs; and in what categories he lists them.

Mr. Golding

A count is made each month of those vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices which remain unfilled on the day of the count. Analyses by industry are made quarterly, and for vacancies at employment offices quarterly analyses by occupation are compiled.

Mr. Miller

Why is no account taken of vacancies advertised in the press or notified to private employment agencies? Is the Minister satisfied with the figure of vacancies derived on the basis that he suggests? How does he explain not referring people on the employment register to such vacancies, and how does he justify their continuing to receive benefit if vacancies are available?

Mr. Golding

The figures relate to vacancies notified to the offices to which my answer refers.

Mr. Miller

There are other vacancies as well.

Mr. Golding

In no sense are we saying that they are the total vacancies. If conservative Members are suggesting that we should force employers to notify vacancies to the Government, please let them say so.

Mr. R. C. Mitchell

Is my hon. Friend aware that, despite the high rates of unemployment in some areas, there is a considerable shortage of skilled labour? Is he further aware that one of the main reasons for this is the restriction on the mobility of labour caused by the housing situation? Will he hold consultations quickly with the local authority associations to try to derive some method whereby people can move from one area to another in order to fill vacancies arising from the shortage of skilled labour?

Mr. Golding

This serious problem has been with us for a long time. The Department of the Environment has discussed this matter with the local authorities. But I must point out that over the last few years too few council houses have been built by Tory local authorities.

Mr. David Price

Does the Undersecretary of State agree that many unskilled vacancies relate to lower-paid jobs? Does he recognise the link between this question and the previous question from the hon. Member for Gravesend (Mr. Ovenden)? That link is called the poverty trap. What steps are the Government taking to eliminate the poverty trap so that it pays people to go to work in the lower-paid jobs?

Mr. Golding

It has been my experience that the most difficult job vacancies to fill are those which require high technical and craft qualifications. The hon. Gentleman's assumption is quite wrong.