§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment further to his letter of 21 January to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, what plans are being made by the Manpower Services Commission to expand its special measures in North Staffordshire; what is the specific increase in resources being made available; what are the resources; and what will be the extent of the increased financial aid he forecast.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI shall reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what further discussions he has had about unemployment in North Staffordshire; and what other proposals he intends to make to increase job opportunities.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Government are very much aware of the current level of unemployment in North Staffordshire. A substantial improvement in the employment situation there, however, as in other parts of the country, depends to a large extent on an upturn in world trade. In order to take advantage of this, it is essential that our industry must be at least as efficient as that of our competitors and this is one of the principal aims of Government policy.
In the meantime, the Government's programme of special employment and training measures is providing assistance to many workers who would otherwise be unemployed. The latest estimate is that 828,000 people are currently being assisted through these measures in the country as a whole and, as my right hon. Friend announced in the House on 21 November 1980, there will be a major expansion of the programme in 1981–82.—[Vol. 994, c. 204–225.] North Staffordshire will, of course, réceive its share of this greatly increased provision which is a massive practical demonstration of the Government's concern for all unemployed people.