§ Mr. Spriggsasked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls were signing the register at the St. Helens Employment Exchange in each month since January, 1964; what arrangements he has made to cope with the 1964 school leavers; and how many applications his department has received from firms and individuals for Ministry of Labour training school places in the St. Helens area.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe numbers of boys and girls registered as unemployed at the St. Helens Youth Employment Office at each monthly count since January, 1964, were as follows:
Date Boys Girls Total January … 49 63 112 February … 33 37 70 March … 24 27 51 April … 68 57 125 May … 47 34 81 June … 41 31 72 July … 47 50 97 The July total included 18 boys and girls who had only recently registered for employment on leaving the technical college. The Youth Employment Ser-
164Wwere registered as unemployed at the Bexhill, Hailsham, and Rye employment exchanges at the latest available date in July; and how many of them were over 55 years of age, under 18 years of age, and school leavers, respectively.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe following table gives the information:
vice has been energetically canvassing for vacancies for this year's school leavers, and will do all it can to place these young people in suitable jobs. No applications have been received this year from firms or young persons in St. Helens for places at Government Training Centres, but one disabled girl has been accepted for training as a telephonist at the Queen Elizabeth College, Leatherhead, under the auspices of the Ministry.
§ Mr. Spriggsasked the Minister of Labour if he will give the number of unemployed women in the St. Helens employment area for each year since 1960, and up to the latest convenient date; and if he will give the same information as a percentage of the total adult unemployed workers in the town.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe following is the information:
165W
Year Monthly average number of women unemployed in the St. Helens Employment Exchange area Monthly average number of women unemployed expressed as a percentage of the monthly average total unemployed in the St. Helens Employment Exchange area 1960 899 48.7 1961 860 50.1 1962 1,000 46.9 1963 1,049 43.9 January July, 1964 791 49.8
§ Mr. Spriggsasked the Minister of Labour if he will give details in figures and as a percentage of unemployed women in the St. Helens employment area for each month since January, 1964, and up to the latest convenient date; and what special steps he is taking to provide employment opportunities for the constituents of the hon. Member for St. Helens.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe following is the information:
WOMEN UNEMPLOYED IN THE ST. HELENS EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AREA — Number of women unemployed Number of girls unemployed Percentage rate of* female unemployment July, 1964 729 50 4.2 June, 1964 747 31 4.2 May, 1964 824 34 4.6 April, 1964 730 57 4.2 March, 1964 751 27 4.2 February, 1964 869 37 4.9 January 1964 890 63 5.1 * An unemployment rate is only available for women and girls together. Our local officers are making every effort to find suitable work for those unemployed.