§ Mr. Dunnachieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current level of unemployment in Glasgow, Pollok expressed as a percentage of the total population available for work under each of the following headings (a) full-time male, (b) part-time male, (c) full-time female, (d) part-time female and (e) young people between the age of 16 and 21 years; and what steps he is taking to reduce these figures.
§ Mr. LangIt is not possible to relate unemployment figures to claimants' employment status in their last jobs, and percentage rates are not calculated for localities smaller than travel-to-work areas. The information requested is not therefore available.
However, the numbers of male and female unemployed claimants in the Glasgow Pollok parliamentary constituency, together with the numbers and rates for Glasgow TTWA, on 14 May, the latest date for which information is available, were as shown below.
Glasgow Pollok parliamentary constituency Glasgow travel-to-work area Percentage Males 5,619 79,572 22.2 Females 1,677 29,310 10.9 Total 7,296 108,882 17.3 In addition, on 9 April, the latest date for which age breakdowns are available, the number of unemployed claimants aged 19 and under, and aged 20–24, in the Glasgow Pollok parliamentary constituency totalled 1,278 and 1,686 respectively.
This information is available in the Library.
The key to achieving reductions in the level of unemployment lies in the Government's policy of keeping inflation down, stimulating enterprise, restoring competitiveness to industry and establishing a strong private 28W sector, thereby encouraging the creation of more jobs. The full range of the Government's employment, enterprise and training measures is also available to assist the unemployed. While the situation in Scotland remains far from satisfactory, the fall in the unemployment figures in recent months and the high level of vacancies are very encouraging.