§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Employment what new special action has been taken in the 12 months to May to counter the increase in ethnic minority unemployment; and what new special action is currently under consideration.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 4 June 1980, c. 704]: The most effective way in which we can help to reduce unemployment in this country, both for the ethnic minorities and other workers, is through the action being taken by the Government to get the economy right. We are of course continuously seeking ways to ensure that existing schemes to alleviate unemployment are applied wherever possible to meet the particular needs of the ethnic minority unemployed. In particular, I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, in conjunction with the CRE, it has carried out a special study of the needs of ethnic minority unemployed people culminating 424W in a report, "Special Programmes—Special Needs", published in October 1979, on whose recommendations the Commission has since been taking action as part of its continuing endeavours to ensure that the maximum benefit it obtained by the ethnic minorities from the measures aimed at alleviating unemployment.