HC Deb 21 December 1979 vol 976 cc478-9W
Mr. Jim Callaghan

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the present levels of unemployment in the Greater Manchester county; what action his Department is taking to reduce the numbers of unemployed in the area; and what success has been achieved.

Mr. Jim Lester

I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. Kaufman

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been declared, how many more are in prospect and how many new jobs have been created in (a) the city of Manchester and (b) Greater Manchester since 4 May.

Mr. Jim Lester

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that redundancies involving 1,229 workers have been notified as due to occur in the city of Manchester during the period May to November 1979. A further 241 redundancies have been notified as due to occur from December 1979 onwards. The corresponding figures for greater Manchester, are 5,825 and 2,158 respectively.

Comprehensive information on the creation of new jobs is not available.

Mr. Kaufman

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) in money terms and in terms of numbers affected under each heading, what is the effect on (a) the city of Manchester and (b) Greater Manchester of his cuts in job promotion, job protection and training schemes, giving this information itemised for each scheme;

(2) what are the latest monthly unemployment figures and vacancy figures for the travel-to-work areas most nearly corresponding to (a) the city of Manchester and (b) Greater Manchester, together with the corresponding monthly figures for each year since and including 1970.

Mr. Jim Lester

I will write to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. Kaufman

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days have been lost in industrial disputes in (a) the city of Manchester and (b) Greater Manchester for the following periods: the calendar years 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, January to February 1974, March to December 1974, the calendar years 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978, January to April 1979 and May 1979 to date.

Mr. Mayhew

Annual figures are only available for recent years as follows:

Working days lost in industrial disputes in the metropolitan county of Manchester
Thousand
1975 176
1976 99
1977 340
1978 228

Figures for the city of Manchester and for other years or part years have not been compiled and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.