6. Mr. John Mark Taylorasked the Paymaster General if he will indicate the extent to which unemployment has fallen in the Solihull constituency since 1984; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LangThe number of unemployed claimants in the Solihull parliamentary constituency fell 1.1 per cent. between 12 January 1984 and 9 January 1986. Male unemployment fell by 10.5 per cent. over the same period. There is an extensive range of Government assistance to attract new investment and new jobs to the west midlands.
Mr. TaylorI thank my hon. Friend for his reply, and welcome the trend in Solihull. However, may I ask him to have a word with his right hon. and hon. Friends at the Department of Trade and Industry in case General Motors' proposal for Land Rover in Solihull reverses that welcome trend?
§ Mr. LangI thank my hon. Friend for his welcome and take note of his advice. My hon. Friend might like to know that in the Birmingham travel-to-work area unskilled vacancies have risen by 4,588 — up 47 per cent. on January 1985.