§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been notified to him in each month since January 1978 in the United Kingdom and West Yorkshire, for the wool textiles—MLH 414—carpets—MLH 419—and men's outerwear—MLH 442—sectors of the textiles and clothing industries; and if he will introduce as a matter of urgency additional measures directed at the provision of retraining facilities and alternative job opportunities in the textile and clothing areas of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Jim LesterThe information requested is given in the table below. I am informed by the Manpower Services 735W Commission (MSC) that it is aware of the problems facing the textile and clothing industries and is keeping the situation under review. Local discussions between the training services division of the MSC and the wool jute and flax industry training board about the pending redundancies
REDUNDANCIES IN UNITED KINGDOM AND WEST YORKSHIRE IN MLH 414,419 AND 442 BETWEEN 1 JANUARY AND 31 OCTOBER 1979 MLH 414 MLH 419 MLH 442 United Kingdom West Yorkshire United Kingdom West Yorkshire United Kingdom West Yorkshire January 1978 … 14 14 2 — 52 16 February … … 139 139 532 18 48 — March … … 162 24 90 16 90 18 April … … 115 53 324 40 73 34 May … … 62 17 38 — 560 — June … … 47 9 59 — 1,189 — July … … 36 7 88 1 113 62 August … … 252 143 239 39 358 26 September … … 246 186 64 — 169 59 October … … 339 122 89 — 25 — November … … 420 178 421 — 243 — December … … 80 56 70 — 915 224 January 1979 … … 85 83 149 — 25 25 February … … 31 31 21 — 31 — March … … 160 124 69 — 249 — April … … 210 202 8 — 93 93 May … … 65 57 48 — 22 — June … … 3 — 23 — 99 99 July … … 51 48 34 24 52 14 August … … 340 88 101 — 212 80 September … … 261 190 101 10 137 39 October … … 451 357 437 — 435 68 Total 3,569 2,128 3,007 148 5,190 857