§ Mr. McKelveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have been out of work for more than one year; and what steps he has taken to reduce the number.
§ Mr. StewartLatest figures as at October 1994 show that 75,752 people in Scotland have been out of work for more than one year. This figure is 7.9 per cent. of the relative United Kingdom figure and is a reduction of 9.1 per cent. over the October 1993 figure.
The Government have introduced a comprehensive range of measures aimed at reducing long-term unemployment through the Employment Service and through Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the local enterprise companies and we have created the right conditions for growth in employment through tight control over inflation and harmonisation of business rates.