Glasgow Eastern Area Renewal

HC Deb 24 March 1982 vol 20 cc913-4

1. Mr. David Marshall

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of jobs (a) to be created and (b) to be lost in the Glasgow eastern area renewal area over the next 12 months.

The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Malcolm Rifkind)

High priority is given in the GEAR area to the creation of new jobs, and I am glad to say that in 1982–83 the Scottish Development Agency intends to provide 15, 400 square metres of factory space in 67 new or refurbished units, sufficient to accommodate over 900 jobs.

Mr. Marshall

Is the Minister aware that, despite the excellent work done by the GEAR project, adult male unemployment has increased to an estimated 30 per cent. and is still increasing? Is he also aware of the written answer to me last Friday showing that unemployment in Glasgow has almost doubled since the Government came into office? When will he and his party take positive steps to reduce unemployment in Glasgow and the GEAR area, instead of making cynical promises during a by-election?

Mr. Rifkind

Over the past four years the Scottish Development Agency has provided workshop space for up to 1, 600 jobs, and space for a further 900 will be made available in the present year. I hope that yesterday's unemployment figures, showing, even on a seasonal basis, a reduction in Scottish unemployment, are as welcome to the Opposition as they are to the Government.

Mr. Pollock

Does my hon. Friend agree that job prospects in the Glasgow area have been considerably helped by the measures announced in the Chancellor's recent Budget Statement, particularly regarding help for small businesses, followed by the easing of interest rates and inflation?

Mr. Rifkind

There is not the slightest doubt that a fall in interest rates is of paramount importance to those who make jobs available. One can only contemplate what would have happened to interest rates if the somewhat absurd proposals of the Opposition had been accepted by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr. Harry Ewing

Is the Minister not aware that yesterday's unemployment figures show a continuing upward trend in adult unemployment, as do the non-seasonally adjusted unemployment figures? The Secretary of State's record of doubling unemployment in Glasgow during his term of office will be a principlal reason why the electors of Hillhead will vote for the Labour candidate, David Wiseman, at tomorrow's by-election.

Mr. Rifkind

I am not sure whether the Dispatch Box is the proper place for a party political broadcast. Given that this question concerns Scottish unemployment, the hon. Gentleman might have said, as I tried to tell him, that, even on a seasonally adjusted basis, yesterday's figures for Scotland show a welcome fall in the total of unemployment.

Mr. Bill Walker

Does my hon. Friend agree that the loss of jobs in the tobacco factory in Glasgow and elsewhere in Scotland can be traced to the campaign conducted against smoking, and that many Opposition Members, including those fairly high up in the Social Democratic Party, have some responsibility in this matter?

Mr. Rifkind

Undoubtedly—as was confirmed by the tobacco companies—the significant change in public attitudes towards smoking has had an indirect effect on employment in the tobacco industry.