§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he now proposes to take to reduce unemployment in Stoke-on-Trent; and if he will visit the area to discuss the problems with trade union leaders, employers and local authorities.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonA reduction in unemployment in Stoke-on-Trent, as in the country as a whole, will largely depend on the ability of our firms to produce goods which people in this country and abroad want to buy, and also on an upturn in world trade. The Government's policies aim to produce the conditions which will help our firms become competitive and so take advantage of such an upturn. Only in this way will the new jobs we so much need be created.
Meanwhile, our programme of special employment and training measures, which has been expanded for 1981–82, will continue to provide assistance to many workers, and in fact nearly 10,000 jobs are currently being protected through the temporary short time working compensation scheme in the Stoke-on-Trent area.
My right hon. Friend and I have no immediate plans to visit Stoke-on-Trent, but I am of course prepared to consider, at any time, an invitation to visit the area.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men, women and schoolleavers are unemployed or on short-time working in Stoke-on-Trent, and how these numbers compare with those in May 1979.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe following table compares the numbers of people registered as unemployed at May 1979 and May 1981 in the area covered by the Burslem, Hanley, Longton and Stoke employment offices.
May 1979 May 1981 Males 4,103 10,221 Females 1,316 4,970 School leavers under 18(included in above) 48 844 Statistics of short-time working are not available for local areas.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the industries in Stoke-on-Trent in which there have been increases in unemployment or short-time working since May 1979; and what proportion of the labour force in each industry is affected.
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§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI shall reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been allocated to job creation schemes in Stoke-on-Trent since May 1979; and how this compares as a percentage with the increase in unemployment in the area.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonSince May 1979 some £238,000 has been allocated to job creation schemes in Stoke-on-Trent under the Manpower Services Commission special temporary employment programme. In addition, the community enterprise programme, which replaced the special temporary employment programme on 1 April, also operates in Stoke-on-Trent.
Since May 1979 unemployment in the Stoke-on-Trent travel-to-work area has risen from 4.1 per cent. to 11 per cent.