Engagements (Hansard, 19 January 1989)

§ Q3. Mr. David Shaw
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 January.

§ The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

§ Mr. Shaw
Has my right hon. Friend seen the good news today that the unemployment figures have come down considerably? [Interruption.] Did she have time, when reading this good news, to see the incredible level of employment that we now have? Has she reflected on the fact that that has been achieved because of the great strength in the economy and does she not think that the news should be welcomed by the whole House?

§ The Prime Minister
Yes. I am grateful to my hon. Friend. Had the news been otherwise, we should have been asked about it constantly by the Opposition. I am glad that unemployment continues to go down. It has gone down for 29 consecutive months. The numbers of—[Interruption.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order.

§ The Prime Minister
The numbers of the work force in employment are now at an all-time record and the percentage of the population of working age in work is higher in the United Kingdom than in France, Germany and Italy, and it is higher than the European average. It is a very good set of figures today.