HC Deb 08 November 1972 vol 845 cc191-2W
Mr. Joel Bartlett

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the instructions given to local employment exchanges on the way

Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will state the number of male jobs lost or gained in manufacturing industry in the South-West of Scotland in each of the past six years;

(2) if he will publish a table showing the males employed in agriculture. forestry, &c., mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, services, all industries, in the South-West of Scotland in 1966; and if he will also show the increases and decreases in these employment categories in each year since then to the latest availabe date.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Precise information about job gains and job losses is not available but an indication of net changes can be obtained by comparing the levels of employment over the period.

The following table gives estimates for June, 1966, and June 1971. The employment estimates for local areas are subject to sampling and other errors. Little significance can therefore be attached to small variations from one year to another.

staff should discuss personal affairs of unemployed persons, with particular reference to the case brought to his attention by the hon. Member for Heywood and Royton, whereby a constituent of his was informed, in the hearing of everyone present at the counter, that he was being refused payment of six weeks' unemployment benefit.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Instructions to employment exchanges specify that interviews should be held in a private room if possible, and in any event under conditions of reasonable privacy. In the case brought to my attention by the hon. Member, his constituent chose to discuss his claim in public, although he had been informed by letter of the disallowance of his claim, the reasons for this and his right of appeal against the decision. In the local office concerned a notice is prominently displayed, as in all employment exchanges, indicating that a private interview will be arranged on request.