HC Deb 10 February 1981 vol 998 cc310-1W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the unemployment percentages of each member State of the former European Free Trade Association group in 1972, and the latest available unemployment percentage for each such country; and if he will indicate what the percentage rise in unemployment has been since 1972 in those European Free Trade Association nations which joined the European Economic Community and those nations which did not.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The annual unemployment rates for 1972 and 1980 and the increase in total unemployment between 1972 and 1980 are given below for the countries which were members of the European Free Trade Association in 1972, of which Denmark and the United Kingdom are now members of the European Communities. The figures are not directly comparable because of differences in concepts, coverage and methods of compilation. The information is not available for Iceland or Portugal.

Service personnel that can be used in industrial disputes without weakening the obligations to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or to Northern Ireland.

Mr. Goodhart

During industrial disputes Service personnel will be deployed only as an emergency measure to maintain essential supplies and services to the community. The number of personnel to be deployed for this task will be decided in the light of relative priorities and commitments at the time. It is not possible to give a general estimate of the numbers that could be made available without weakening other obligations as this depends upon the range of specialist skills needed on any particular occasion.

Mr. Brotherton

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will provide an opportunity for members of the Territorial Army to indicate their willingness or otherwise to serve alongside Regulars in the provision of military aid during industrial disputes.

Mr. Goodhart

No. It is for employers to take whatever steps they may consider appropriate to arrange for volunteers to assist in such circumstances. It would, of course, be open to any member of the Territorial Army, as a private citizen and out of uniform, individually to volunteer assistance to the appropriate civil authorities during an emergency, just like any member of the general public.