HC Deb 08 June 1982 vol 25 cc12-4
15. Mr. Gwilym Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures available for the number of people unemployed; and what proportion this is of the potential working population.

14. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present number of registered unemployed people in the United Kingdom; and what is the latest estimate of the number of unemployed who are not registered.

Mr. Alison

At 13 May the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom was 2,969,443 and the unemployment rate was 12.4 per cent.

The latest information suggests that in 1979–80 about a third of a million people were seeking work but were not registered as unemployed.

Mr. Roberts

Does the Minister accept that these are serious figures and that the figures for long-term unemployment, which my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesterfield (Mr. Varley) pointed out, are catastrophic indeed? In contrast to what the Secretary of State said in reply to an earlier question, will the Minister accept that the only way to produce a reasonable improvement in these figures in a measurable amount of time is by a vast increase in public expenditure on capital projects?

Mr. Alison

I do not agree with that proposal. That method has been tried. Throwing money at the problem has no effect other than to increase inflation and increase problems with the balance of payments, thus ultimately destroying jobs.

Mr. Marlow

Would not the number of the unemployed be reduced, as would the amount of juvenile crime, if my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer were to introduce fiscal policies that would encourage mothers to stay at home and look after their children, which is a very valuable job indeed?

Mr. Alison

That is a question that goes rather wider than my brief, as my hon. Friend will appreciate. However, there are fewer women in work than men, and many women do stay at home and look after their families.

Mr. Craigen

In view of the training schemes to reduce the incidence of unemployment among young people, can we take it that there has been a change of heart at the Department of Employment and that the Government now intend to introduce a payroll tax on employers to fund the training of young people?

Mr. Alison

No, we have no proposal to introduce a payroll tax.

Mr. Harold Walker

Will the Minister comment on the statement in the youth task group's report that the youth training scheme must be voluntary rather than compulsory—that is, a scheme in which people want to take part? Does he agree that we must have a scheme that commands enthusiasm because it is right and fair, makes sense and is what people want to do, rather than an imposed system requiring conformity?

Mr. Alison

That sounds like good sense as the right hon. Gentleman has read it out, and there is certainly no Government proposal to make the scheme compulsory.

16. Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the level of unemployment to fall.

Mr. Peter Morrison

There will be a sustained fall in unemployment when economic recovery is firmly established and our industries are more competitive in world markets.

Mr. Taylor

While I fully support the Government's economic policies, may I ask the Minister whether he agrees that, as there has been a steady deterioration in Britain's relative unemployment position since 1973 in comparison with other Western nations, allied to a sharp increase in the manufacturing trade deficit with the EEC, there is now an overwhelming case for a thorough inquiry by the Government's economic advisers into the effect on unemployment of Britain's current relationships with EEC?

Mr. Morrison

No, Sir, I do not agree. As my hon. Friend will be aware, there are conflicting reports on the matter. The Cambridge economic policy group suggests a large employment loss, whereas the National Institute for Economic and Social Research suggests a small employment gain. My hon. Friend will also be aware of the enormous growth in exports to the Community. Therefore, there are bound, by definition, to be more jobs available than hitherto.

Mr. John Fraser

Is the Minister aware of the corrosive effects of unemployment on areas such as Lambeth? Can he give a forecast of when unemployment will be at least back to the levels of 1979?

Mr. Morrison

I am aware of the effects that unemployment can have on areas such as Lambeth, and in other parts of the country. However, the hon. Gentleman will also be aware that the Government are spending thousands of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money on special employment measures particularly to help such areas.