HL Deb 09 November 1983 vol 444 c795

2.43 p.m.

Lord Gainford

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many persons have taken advantage of the National Mobility Scheme.

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, by the end of September this year, 17,846 moves had been reported as having taken place under arrangements operating within London, and 12,567 other moves under the scheme had been reported by the same date.

Lord Gainford

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for those encouraging figures. Arising from them, can he assure us that the scheme is helping people to find employment, particularly in areas where an industry may have failed and a new one may be starting?

Lord Skelmersdale

Yes, my Lords. This, on the whole, voluntary scheme was set up in order to facilitate moves of, especially, council house tenants, and it was set up both for social reasons and for job purposes. I can tell my noble friend that in the year 1981–82 41 per cent. of the households who moved between councils in different counties—that is the national level of the scheme—did so for job reasons. The equivalent figure for 1982–83 was a little over 32 per cent.