§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from companies in the landscape industry concerning the impact of the job creation programme on their business.
§ Mr. GoldingI have received 17 letters from member companies of the British Association of Landscape Industries expressing concern about the impact of the job creation programme on their business. I have drawn these to the attention of the Manpower Services Commission.
§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give an estimate of the number of landscaping contracts carried out under the job creation programme on behalf of local authorities in England and Wales in 1977, and of the number of jobs in the landscaping work thus provided under the programme.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that information is not readily available on which the estimates requested can be based. I am assured, however, that only a very small proportion of the work undertaken under the job creation programme involves landscape contract work.