HC Deb 13 May 1985 vol 79 cc1139-40
2. Mr. Gerald Howarth

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Confederation of British industry about the number of new jobs created since May 1979.

The Minister of State, Treasury (Mr. Barney Hayhoe)

None. But the CBI's post-Budget forecast projected a 1 million increase in jobs between March 1983 and the end of this year.

Mr. Howarth

Should not that excellent news be broadcast and trumpeted throughout the land? Will it not come as a severe embarrassment to the alliance, which said in its 1983 election manifesto that the biggest early increase in employment that was foreseeable under its inflationary programme involved substantially fewer than the 1 million extra jobs which we are on target to create under this Government's proven economic policies?

Mr. Hayhoe

My hon. Friend makes a telling point. Conservative performance on employment since the 1983 general election is better even than the promises which the alliance made at the election.

Mr. Dormand

Has the CBI made any representations about the derisory £10 million which the Government are making available to NCB (Enterprise) Limited to provide alternative employment in the coalfields? Is he aware that at Horden colliery in my constituency, which it is proposed to close, there is no alternative employment and that that area alone could use £10 million for the provision of alternative employment? What advice has the Minister to offer to the 1,200 miners and their families who are facing a very dull prospect?

Mr. Hayhoe

I am not aware of any representations from the CBI on the point raised by the hon. Gentleman. Indeed, it is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy.

Mr. John Townend

Does my hon. Friend agree that there is a growing problem with the thousands of new jobs being created in the hotel and tourist industry, especially in the south-east of England, because increasingly the industry is having to employ foreign labour? What action do the Government intend to take?

Mr. Hayhoe

Difficulties flow from what is, to some extent, a social attitude by our fellow countrymen towards working in the hotel and catering industry. I was listening to persuasive comments by my right hon. Friend Lord Young on that very question on the radio this morning. I commend the advice that he gave.

Dr. McDonald

How can the Minister claim that the Chancellor's free market solution to the problem of unemployment is successful when there were more than 25 million people in work in June 1975, but by December 1984 there were only 24 million in work?

Mr. Hayhoe

I would have thought that the hon. Lady would wish to commend the fact that since the last general election and by the end of this year a million new jobs will have been created. If that promise had been made by Ministers during the general election campaign, Opposition Members would have laughed. The reality is that that is the forecast for the end of the year.