HC Deb 11 March 1981 vol 1000 c880
16. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many additional people have become unemployed in Scotland since May 1979.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

Seasonally adjusted, unemployment rose by 92,200 between May 1979 and February 1981.

Mr. Canavan

Is the Minister aware that for every week that he has been in his job more than 1,300 people in Scotland have lost their jobs? In view of the fact that the public expenditure cuts and the increased petrol prices announced in yesterday's Budget will destroy thousands more jobs in Scotland, is it not about time that the Minister took the honourable and decent course and resigned from this disastrous Government?

Mr. Fletcher

I do not know what the hon. Gentleman is qualified in, but it is certainly not economics. Although, seasonally adjusted, unemployment has increased by 55 per cent. since May 1979, it virtually doubled while the Labour Party was in power.

Mr. Henderson

Does my hon. Friend agree that if the nationalised industries took a more responsible view of public money, and if civil servants were not seeking to destroy aspects of this country's security by seeking higher wages, there would be a much better chance of not having further increases in unemployment?

Mr. Fletcher

My hon. Friend is correct in what he says about nationalised industries. The increases in prices and public expenditure over the past two years have been due largely to the requirements of nationalised industries, not the private sector of the economy.

Mr. Harry Ewing

Why does the Minister not answer the question put by my hon. Friend the Member for West Stirlingshire (Mr. Canavan) and tell us how many people have become unemployed? Is the Minister not aware that his right hon. Friend is on record as saying that when he came to power 139,000 people were unemployed in Scotland? In February the figure was 286,000—an increase of 147,000 total unemployed under the stewardship of the Secretary of State and the Minister.

Mr. Fletcher

I do not know what the hon. Member for Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth (Mr. Ewing) is qualified in, but it is certainly not mathematics. The figure that I gave his hon. Friend for the seasonally adjusted unemployed is 92,200 between May 1979 and February 1981.