HC Deb 27 November 1980 vol 994 c563
14 Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when next he expects to pay an official visit to Northern Ireland to discuss the current situation with local leaders.

Mr. Humphrey Atkins

I spend part of each week in Northern Ireland and frequently have meetings with local political leaders and other representatives of the community. I spent Monday and Tuesday of this week in Northern Ireland and I shall be returning there tomorrow.

Mr. Parry

Does the right hon. Gentleman have any plans to meet the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to discuss the appalling level of unemployment in Northern Ireland, which is even greater than that on Merseyside? When he does meet the ICTU, will be be able to put forward proposals in order to reduce that level of unemployment? Is the right hon. Gentleman also aware that in Liverpool on Saturday we hope to gain the support of the unemployed from Northern Ireland in opposing the vicious unemployment situation in the United Kingdom?

Mr. Atkins

I met members of the Northern Ireland committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions who serve on the Northern Ireland Economic Council last week. I have no doubt that I shall be meeting them again very soon. As the hon. Gentleman knows, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment has a package of special employment measures, the details of which we shall shortly be announcing in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Wm. Ross

When the Secretary of State replied to my hon. Friend the Member for Belfast, South (Mr. Bradford) a few minutes ago, he denied that he personally had had any contact with Provisional Sinn Fein. Can he now tell the House whether that denial of contact encompasses all those responsible to him and all members of his staff?

Mr. Atkins

No officials of my Department have contact with representatives of Provisional Sinn Fein.

Mr. Dalyell

Without anticipating Question No. 19, what are the figures for youth unemployment? How cap anyone expect—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman has given me fair warning.

Mr. John

When the Secretary of State meets the local industrialists and trade union leaders, will be explain how the Government propose to tackle as a matter of urgency the fact that in Northern Ireland 46 people are now unemployed for every vacancy that exists? Will be assure them that there will not be any juggling of the books, as there was last summer, so that what goes into industrial investment comes off the public sector?

Mr. Atkins

The allocation of expenditure in Northern Ireland for 1981–82 will be made as soon as possible, and while it will reflect the need to contain total public expenditure it will also reflect the need to cope with the serious unemployment problem in the Province.