HC Deb 18 December 1961 vol 651 c101W
12. Sir C. Osborne

asked the Minister of Labour which industries now have a labour shortage and which a labour surplus; what general movement there is from one group to the other; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hare

In November, industries in which registered unemployed substantially outnumbered unfilled vacancies included agriculture and fish

REGISTERED UNEMPLOYED AT 13TH NOVEMBER, 1961, AND UNFILLED VACANCIES AT 8TH NOVEMBER, 1961, IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES (ADULTS ONLY)
Registered unemployed
Industry Wholly unemployed Temporarily stopped Total Unfilled vacancies Excess or deficiency as measured by difference between (d) and (e)
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
"Surplus" industries
Construction 48,625 71 48,696 13,169 +35,527
Motor vehicle manufacture 3,030 12,673 15,703 1,620 +14,083
Iron and steel manufacture 5,343 9,577 14,920 1,643 +13,277
Shipbuilding and ship-repairing 10,030 91 10,121 998 +9,123
Food, drink and tobacco 11,179 106 11,285 3,873 +7,412
Agriculture 8,001 270 8,271 1,629 +6,643
Cotton textiles 2,737 4,155 6,892 1,827 +5,065
Fishing 2,341 1,920 4,261 23 +4,238
"Shortage" industries
Coalmining 3,780 2 3,782 11,953 -8,171
Clothing and footwear 4,145 1,006 5,151 10,275 -5,124
Engineering and electrical goods 15,524 958 16,472 20,948 -4,476
Note.—The industries shown in this table are the production industries in which the excess or deficiency of unemployed over vacancies is most marked. There are also marked labour shortages and surpluses in certain service industries, including shortages in road and rail passenger transport, and surpluses in sea transport, distribution, and catering and hotels.