§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the fact that Kirkby has a male unemployment rate of 25 per cent., he will, as a matter of urgency, undertake a major review of the employment prospects in the town, with a view to drawing up a plan for greater Government assistance towards the location of new industry in the town and the stimulation of employment.
§ Mr. John FraserA relatively high proportion of those people living in Kirkby work in other parts of the Liverpool travel to work area. Similarly a306W substantial proportion of those working in Kirkby live in other parts of the Liverpool area. For this reason it is not possible to calculate meaningful unemployment rates for Kirkby or to isolate the employment problems of Kirkby from the problems of the Liverpool travel-to-work area where male unemployment is currently 12.8 per cent. I fully recognise, however, the seriousness of the present unemployment position and am in constant touch with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry, who has the main governmental responsibility for stimulating employment in the assisted areas.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs for school leavers will be created by the job creation programme (a) on Merseyside, (b) in Kirkby and (c) in Ormskirk.
§ Mr. John FraserI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the job creation programme will create up to 3,000 jobs in the Merseyside development area. Projects so far approved will provide 276 jobs in Merseyside, of which 123 are suitable for school leavers, and 30 in Kirkby, of which 21 are suitable for school leavers. Proposals currently receiving attention involve, 1,188 jobs in the development area, of which 737 are suitable for young people, including 379 specifically for school leavers. No proposal has been received from Ormskirk, but if any is forthcoming it will be urgently and sympathetically considered.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Ormskirk are awaiting admission to a Government skillcentre; and what is the average length of time they have to wait.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that 17 people from the Ormskirk employment office area are awaiting admission to a skillcentre; some of these have been accepted and some await acceptance. For the accepted candidates, eight, the average waiting time is six months. For the unaccepted, nine, the average waiting period is nine months.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are awaiting admission to a Government skillcentre on Merseyside at the latest 307W available date; and what is the average length of their wait.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the following skillcentres are in Merseyside: Liverpool, Runcorn and St. Helens and its annexe at Kirkby. People awaiting admission to these centres fall into two categories—those who have been accepted and those not yet accepted. For the accepted candidates, 704, the average waiting time is four and a half months. For the unaccepted, 1,904, the average waiting period is 17 months