HC Deb 19 October 1993 vol 230 cc132-3
4. Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the figures for the last three months for unemployment in Basildon.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Unemployment has fallen in Basildon for the past three months. The figures are 9,149 in July; 9,009 in August; and 8,841 in September.

Mr. Amess

Is my hon. Friend aware that, during the summer recess, in my constituency, I opened Mobil Oil's Pegasus training centre, the United Kingdom headquarters of Cosatto, which makes the finest prams and cots in the world, and the international headquarters of Hay Pollock, freight forwarders? Does my hon. Friend agree that that, together with the downward trend in unemployment, is most encouraging and that, contrary to what the Opposition think, Basildon has a bright future?

Mr. Forsyth

If only every constituency represented by Opposition Members had such a doughty champion as the people of Basildon, our work in the Department of Employment would be much easier.

Ms Quin

Will the Minister confirm that unemployment in Basildon rocketed between 1990–93 by 126 per cent? Does he recall his colleagues saying to the people of Basildon and elsewhere that, if they voted Tory in the general election on Thursday, the recovery would begin on Friday? How was it, therefore, that unemployment in Basildon rose so sharply the following year? In the light of that appalling record, is it not clear that the voters in Basildon and elsewhere will never trust the Tories again, and that the only bright future that they are likely to experience is under a Labour Government?

Mr. Forsyth

The hon. Lady, along with her hon. Friend the Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson), is getting a reputation for shooting messengers when they bring good news. The good news is that unemployment is falling in Basildon. It is typical of the Labour party that it looks back to the past and not forward to the future.

As to the socialists having the answer, is the hon. Lady not aware that a socialist Government in Spain are presiding over unemployment in excess of 20 per cent. and are now abandoning the policies of job protection, which were embraced by the Labour party conference a few weeks ago? The fact is that the Labour party is looking backwards and not forwards. That is why my hon. Friend will continue to represent Basildon for many years to come.