§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action his Department intends to take to ensure the creation and retention of jobs for local people in the Southwark and Bermondsey constituency.
§ Mr. LeeMy Department, through its employment service and Training Agency, operates a wide range of employment, enterprise and training measures, which are all available in Southwark and Bermondsey, as well as elsewhere.
In addition, the Docklands liaison group co-ordinates the local activities of the employment service and the Training Agency and helps to streamline links with local organisations, with the aim of helping local unemployed people take advantage of the many new opportunities which the regeneration of the London docklands is providing. An employment training project to train local people in construction skills has recently opened in Southwark. This will build up to 175 places.
During the 12 months to October 1988 unemployment in Southwark and Bermondsey has fallen by 910, 13.5 per cent. of the October 1987 figure.