§ 15. Mr. George Craddockasked the Minister of Labour what were the numbers of unemployed persons in Bradford and Queensbury and Shelf districts, on the latest available date; what were the corresponding figures for the previous year; and what factors caused the increases.
§ Mr. HareThe Queensbury and Shelf urban district is covered partly by Bradford Employment Exchange and partly by Halifax Employment Exchange. In the Bradford area there were 4,405 workers registered as unemployed at 11th February compared with 3,000 in February, 1962; over half of the increase was in construction, most of it due to the exceptionally severe weather; there were also fairly substantial increases in the woollen and worsted sector and in engineering and smaller increases in a variety of other industries. In the Halifax area the corresponding figures were 1,175 and 492; construction accounted for a third of the increase and the rest was widely spread.
§ 16. Mr. George Craddockasked the Minister of Labour what was the total number of school leavers in Bradford and Queensbury and Shelf districts for 1962, and the number placed in apprenticeships; and bow many were more than three months without employment.
§ Mr. HareSeparate figures are not available for Queensbury and Shelf. In Bradford and in the Calder Youth Employment Bureau area, which includes Queensbury and Shelf, 5,422 school leavers entered employment in 1962. One thousand, two hundred and seventeen or 44 per cent. of the boys and 403 or 15 per cent. of the girls obtained apprenticeships. Nine school leavers were unemployed for more than three months.