HC Deb 04 May 1966 vol 727 cc123-4W
Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his plans to stem the drift away from Scotland of skilled craftsmen and women; and what are the figures of movement away from Scotland for each of the last five years of men and women, respectively.

Mr. Ross

The reduction of net emigration is one of the dominant objectives of the Government's economic policy for Scotland, and a wide range of measures to secure this objective and to achieve planned expansion and growth is set out in the White Paper on the Scottish Economy.

Comprehensive statistics about the movement of skilled manpower are not available. It is estimated, however, that the average annual net loss of employees of all kinds from Scotland to the rest of Great Britain over the period 1960–64 was 9,600 men and 3,800 women.