§ Lord BOYD-CARPENTERMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Manpower Services Commission in its publication MSC Manpower Review 1980 makes no mention either in relation to youth employment or otherwise of the vacancies in the armed and police forces, public transport and nursing, particulars of which appear in the Answer given to a Written Question on 7th July (col. 1010).
The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of EMPLOYMENT (The Earl of Gowrie)My Lords, I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the Manpower Review 1980 was intended to set out the Commission's overall plans and programmes as embodied in its corporate plan and also to discuss broad issues of manpower policy in order to promote informed debate and better understanding of these issues. It did not, therefore, go into detail about vacancies in individual areas of employment, although it did include discussion of levels of vacancies, and the position for nurses was in fact included in some examples given.
§ Lord BOYD-CARPENTERMy Lords, in thanking my noble friend for that reply, may I ask whether he can assure the House that the Manpower Services Commission regards it as part of its duty to invite the attention of unemployed people, particularly young unemployed people, to the considerable number of vacancies for most excellent 1038 employment which were outlined in his earlier Answer to me?
The Earl of GOWRIEMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend. That is indeed an important part of the work of the Manpower Services Commission, Employment Services Division, known more widely as the Jobcentres. Vacancies are brought into attention, including those in the public service.
§ Lord DAVIES of LEEKMy Lords, is the noble Earl aware that—I think I am right—the Manpower Services Commission does not refer to manpower for the mining industry? In view of the Government's new Coal Bill and the hope that we are going to have prosperity, will he ensure that young men are encouraged to go into this manly job, which increases God's gift to man of strength and manliness? Will he ensure that young men are encouraged to go into the British mining industry?
The Earl of GOWRIEMy Lords, I understand that at the moment it is almost harder to get into the mining industry than it is to get into your Lordships' House. The demand is very considerable.
§ Lord DAVIES of LEEKMy Lords, I beg the Minister's pardon. We want to encourage training, and there are opportunities for training. Nobody can go immediately right into the coal face; training is absolutely necessary.
§ Lord ROCHESTERMy Lords, is the noble Earl aware that, as chairman of one of the Manpower Services Commission's district manpower committees, I have the greatest respect for the work being done by the Commission; think that it deserves and needs as much support as this House can give it; and warmly welcome the Government's promise to do more this autumn, under the agency of the Commission, by introducing measures to alleviate unemployment among young people? Will the Minister bear in mind particularly the possibility of extending the scheme for giving school-leavers work experience on employers' premises, both because of the relatively low net cost of that scheme, at only £14 per person per week, and because more than 60 per cent. of those so engaged later found employ 1039 ment of a more permanent kind, either with the same or with another employer?
The Earl of GOWRIEMy Lords, I am grateful for the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Rochester, on the work of the Manpower Services Commission, which I fully endorse. On the matter of the Youth Opportunities Programme—and that, of course, contains the work experience on employers' premises—we have in fact extended that programme by 20 per cent. in the last month.
Lord WALLACE of COSLANYMy Lords, is the Minister aware that the Question suggests that the best recruiting sergeant for the armed forces will be major unemployment?
The Earl of GOWRIEMy Lords, in spite of high levels of unemployment, I understand that recruitment is still somewhat below par, although there is an upward movement.