§ 21. Dr. Millerasked the Minister of Labour how many vacancies now exist for skilled tradesmen; and what steps he is taking to fill them.
§ Mr. FernyhoughAt 6th December 1967, the latest date for which an occupational analysis is available, there were 25,430 unfilled vacancies on the books of employment exchanges for occupations within the engineering, building, vehicle building, woodworking and printing industries which are commonly regarded as skilled. The employment exchanges regularly fill about two-thirds of all vacancies notified to them, but our statistics do not show what proportion are filled in particular occupations. The expanding programme of Government Training Centres is helping to meet persistent shortages of skilled labour.