§ 37. Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures for the West Midlands.
§ Mr. GoldingDespite the improvement that has taken place over the past four months I regard the level of unemployment in the West Midlands as still unacceptably high. In the immediate future any substantial improvement in the employment situation in the region will depend on a general upturn in the economy. Nevertheless, the Government's manpower measures, including job creation, the temporary employment subsidy, recruitment subsidies for school leavers and additional finance for training, have already had some success in mitigating the worst effects of unemployment in the region; nearly 9,000 people have been assisted so far. En addition, the region is benefiting considerably from the substantial financial assistance which has been given to the motor vehicle and machine tool industries.