Unemployment Statistics (Hansard, 6 July 1982)

§ 14. Mr. Cryer
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures.

§ Mr. Tebbit
I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Members for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) and Liverpool, Scotland Exchange (Mr. Parry) earlier today.

§ Mr. Cryer
Are not those deplorable figures brought about by the deliberate policies of the Government? Is the Secretary of State aware that under Tory rule—nothing to do with the Labour Government—there has been an increase in unemployment in my constituency of almost 200 per cent. and a similar increase in supplementary benefit payments to the unemployed? Is it not madness to cut back on public expenditure and create unemployment that results in over £4 billion being spent each year on supplementary and unemployment benefit? Would it not be better to use that money to create the jobs that the Government promised at the last election than to have their training scheme cosmetics?

§ Mr. Tebbit
In turn, the question might be put to the hon. Gentleman—[Interruption.] The House will notice that I did not ask a question of the hon. Gentleman. I said that, in turn, the question might be put to the hon. Gentleman—[Interruption]—whether he took the view that the increased unemployment in his constituency while he was a Minister in the last Government was his responsibility. The fact of the matter is—[Interruption.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The Minister must be allowed to reply. Whether hon. Members like the answer or not, he must be allowed to give it.

§ Mr. Arthur Lewis
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I refer you to your comment that the Minister is entitled to make a reply? The right hon. Gentleman said that he was going to ask the hon. Gentleman a question.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I am much obliged to the hon. Gentleman, but we are taking time from Prime Minister's Questions. The Minister must be allowed to answer.

§ Mr. Tebbit
The hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis) did not hear me. I did not ask a question.
Under the last Government, Britain's competitiveness suffered massively. We lost about 50 per cent. of competitiveness. In the past year we have regained about 10 or 15 per cent. of our competitiveness. That must continue in order to regain the jobs that the Labour Government exported to our rivals overseas.

§ Mr. Cryer
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the totally inadequate nature of the Secretary of State's reply, I give notice that I intend to raise this matter on the Adjournment. The people of Keighley would like to return to the level of unemployment that existed under the Labour Government.