HC Deb 09 December 1980 vol 995 cc776-7
7. Mr. Sheerman

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to encourage occupational mobility among the unemployed.

Mr. Jim Lester

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that its plans provide for about 82,500 adults, most of them unemployed, to start training or retraining this year under the training opportunities scheme. Jobcentre self-service vacancy displays give unemployed people ready access to notified vacancies in many different occupations.

Mr. Sheerman

Is the Minister aware that, in the 18 months of Conservative Government, unemployment in Huddersfield, for example, has risen by 158 per cent.? Is it not a cruel deception for the Prime Minister to go to areas such as Wales and tell people to move if they want a job? Is he aware that my constituents who are willing to move and who obtain jobs in the South-East cannot get a council house transfer and cannot afford to buy a house because of the Government's policy on housing? The concept of occupational mobility is nonsense.

Mr. Lester

The Housing Act 1980 has made considerable changes to assist people to be mobile. The Government recognise that housing is one of the major factors in mobility. I remind the hon. Gentleman that when the Labour Government were in power they made no changes in housing policy to assist people to be mobile. With regard to adult retraining, the hon. Gentleman knows that there are skillcentres at Bradford, Wakefield and Leeds and that there are also the Huddersfield technical college and the Dewsbury and Batley technical college.

Mr. Forman

Does not my hon. Friend agree that labour mobility amongst the employed is as important to the country's future as labour mobility for the unemployed? To that extent, will he encourage the move towards the transferability of occupational pensions, which would make a great contribution to achieving that objective?

Mr. Lester

I understand that the transferability of occupational pensions is currently under review by the DHSS. Of course, it is true that mobility in a real and reasonable sense has always played a part in this country in solving employment and unemployment problems. Birmingham and the Black Country did not exist until comparatively recently in that respect.

Mr. Ashley

Is the Minister aware of the deep anxiety in North Staffordshire, where unemployment has doubled in the last year, and that the pottery industry, which was highly profitable, has been very badly hit? Instead of trying to shunt people out of these localities, why does he not take action to try to bring work back into the Potteries, where work can be done?

Mr. Lester

The Department of Industry and the various regional measures that have been introduced exist for that purpose. However, the question concerns occupational guidance — that is, mobility between occupations, not places.