§ 4. Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present percentage rate of unemployment; and what are the numbers involved.
§ 6. Mr. Tinnasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of people unemployed; and how many of these are aged from 50 to 60 years.
§ The Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. Tom King)On 5 April the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3.108,000, at a rate of 13 per cent. The latest figure for those unemployed who are aged between 50 and 59 is 478,000.
§ Mr. MaddenDoes the Secretary of State understand that in places such as Bradford, where 15 out of every 100 people are unemployed, there is precious little evidence of a sustained economic recovery and dismay that traditionally low pay has not resulted in job security and that relatively low inflation has not resulted in new jobs? Does he further understand that the smug complacency of Ministers and the Prime Minister about unemployment is stoking up anger and a sullen resentment, which the Government ignore at their peril?
§ Mr. KingI think that the hon. Gentleman will know that I take seriously, as any responsible Minister and hon. Member obviously does, the grave level of unemployment facing us and so many other countries in the Western world. The hon. Gentleman said that there was no evidence of any change, so let us look quickly at the figures. I note that there is a 10 per cent. increase in the number of people placed in work by jobcentres compared with the equivalent period last year. Obviously we need to go much further than that. The hon. Gentleman said that 175 there was not much evidence of new jobs. I welcome the figures that I was able to announce of 200,000 more jobs in the last three quarters of last year.
§ Mr. TinnWe are all understandably depressed and anxious about the problems of the young unemployed, but is the Minister aware that it is important not to neglect or forget the older, middle-aged groups, often with heavy financial and family responsibilities? Is he aware of the heavy human impact of increasingly beginning to realise, as most of them are, that they will never work again? Time is not on their side. If he is aware of the wastage and loss of skills and experience involved in all this, may I ask what he proposes to do about it?
§ Mr. KingI would not wish to distinguish the relative position of misery faced by school leavers, young people, the middle aged or the elderly, because for everyone the scourge of unemployment poses very real difficulties. With inflation much lower, real signs of improvement in industrial performance and an increase in jobs in the country, we see the best prospect now for many years of starting to tackle those serious problems of unemployment which I should have thought the hon. Gentleman would share.
§ Sir Dudley SmithWould my right hon. Friend care to comment on the extraordinary speech made yesterday by the Leader of the Opposition in which he alleged that my right hon. Friend had faked the unemployment figures, apparently in connivance with his officials?
§ Mr. KingI saw those comments. I understand that we are about to have some elections this week. That, I think, is the only possible explanation that one can give. It was a most disgraceful attack on professional statisticians in my Department who are responsible for producing the figures and who have given the most clear evidence—[Interruption.] I suggest that hon. Members, instead of shouting, if they want know the truth, should look at the Employment Gazette and see the proper basis on which those figures are produced. I suggest that the Leader of the Opposition should justify that disgraceful allegation against professional people, or shut up.
§ Mr. WrigglesworthI have just had a call that I wish I had not had, because, sadly, I was told that another suicide had taken place in my constituency — not the first on Teesside—as a result of unemployment. Is the Secretary of State aware that, behind the figures that we discuss endlessly in the House, there are many human tragedies of this nature, some not as extreme as this, but sad? Will he and his colleagues give much higher priority to the question of unemployment, and give to those who are suffering from this depressing and sad situation more hope than they have at present?
§ Mr. KingI hope that the hon. Gentleman will accept and recognise from the answers that I have given that I fully accept the appalling difficulties and tragedy that many people face, particularly in the areas of highest unemployment. We know that there are pockets where that level is intolerable. There is no point in seeking to allocate blame. I am conscious that the hon. Gentleman represents a steel constituency. I wonder what responsibility is accepted by Opposition Members who fought against the one intelligent attempt to restructure the steel industry in 1972 and 1973, and how the story might have been very different if that had been acted on. None the less, the 176 situation is serious. We believe that the strengthening of the economy gives us our best prospect of offering hope to people such as those whom the hon. Gentleman represents. We recognise the serious and difficult problems that they face.
§ Mr. Roger KingDoes my right hon. Friend agree that, in terms of the number of people employed, this country is doing relatively well compared with other industrial countries? Will he consider issuing figures for the total in work, in parallel with the other monthly figures?
§ Mr. KingIt is not possible to publish them at the same time, but the published figure of 200,000 more people in work in the last three quarters of last year is our best estimate. This country provides significantly more employment for its people than the vast majority of other countries, partly because many more women choose to work. We believe that that is the basis on which we must seek to expand the economy, and we are encouraged by the present progress in the creation of new jobs.
Mr. Jim CallaghanIs the Minister aware that, according to the 1981 census, unemployment among males between the ages of 20 and 45 on two large overspill estates in my constituency—Langley and Darnhill—was 43 and 33 per cent., respectively? Three years have now passed and the figures have worsened. What help does the Minister intend to give those unfortunate men?
§ Mr. KingThe hon. Gentleman will have heard my earlier answer in which I referred specifically to serious pockets of unemployment of the type that he mentioned that may exist within a region or a travel-to-work area with considerably lower average figures. There is no quick quack solution to the problem. The solution must come from a real improvement in our economic performance. I take encouragement from the improvement in our competitive position and the very significant improvement in our economy. The Government have introduced a number of measures to assist the situation. The enterprise allowance scheme has proved a great success. There is also the community programme and the job release scheme. All those measures are further attempts to help in a serious situation.
§ Mr. HoltFurther to the question asked by the hon. Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Wrigglesworth), will my right hon. Friend comment on the fact that British Steel has shed 50 per cent. of its labour force compared with four years ago, but that the entire financial saving has been swallowed up by the rate increases imposed by Cleveland council, which this year was more than 25 per cent.?
§ Mr. KingI have made one or two speeches on the need for economy and restraint in rate demands. Anyone whose activities have any bearing at all on the costs and competitive position of industry has a responsibility in this matter. I hope that local authorities will realise that it is vital not to add unnecessary burdens to industries which are now starting to succeed, but which must remain competitive in costs if they are to win through.
§ Mr. John SmithWill the Secretary of State explain why, whenever there is a small reduction in the number of unemployed, the Government claim credit for the success of their policies, but whenever there is a massive increase they blame it on forces outwith their control?
§ Mr. KingI do not think that the right hon. and learned Gentleman can make that charge about my statements. The 177 latest unemployment figures show a very small fall in the seasonally adjusted totals and a small reduction in the headline totals, but it is too early to tell whether the improvement in the economy will move fast enough to cope with the additional 160,000 people seeking work this year and the undoubted improvements in productivity also being achieved. That is the great challenge that we face.