§ 102. Mr. Footasked the Minister of Labour the latest figures for unemployment, and the percentage these represent of the insured population, in respect of each of the heavily-bombed cities and towns in Britain; and what special steps he proposes to take as regards those places which show a percentage of unemployment approximating to that obtaining in the development areas.
§ Mr. IsaacsThe following table gives the figures at 13th March for some of the large towns which were subjected to heavy bombing:
Numbers registered as unemployed Approximate percentage rate of unemployment Bristol (including Kingswood) 4,319 1.9 Coventry 1,094 0.8 Clydbank and Greenock 3,204 4.9 Hull 5,386 4.0 Liverpool (including Bootle) 22,225 4.8 London (Greater) 42,248 1.0 Manchester (including Stretford) 4,815 1.0 Plymouth 2,544 3.2 Southampton 2,334 2.6 Swansea 2,082 3.6 Portsmouth (including Gosport) 4,766 4.7 Birmingham 2,502 0.4 As regards the second part of the Question I would refer by hon. Friend to the White Paper on Distribution of Industry (Cmd. 7540). Every effort is being made to increase the level of employment in these areas.