§ Mr. Leadbitterasked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the latest employment situation at Teesside and Hartlepool.
§ Mr. FernyhoughOn 11th March, 1968, the total number of persons registered as unemployed at the Teesside group of exchanges which includes MiddlesBrough, Billingham, Redcar, South Bank and Stockton and Thornaby, was 8,087–6,571 men and 1,516 women—of whom 155 were temporarily stopped. At the Hartlepool group of exchanges—Hartlepool and Hartlepool Headland—there were 2,435 persons—2,081 men and 354 women—including 43 temporarily stopped, registered as unemployed. The unemployment rate at March, 1968, in the Teesside group of exchanges was 4.3 per cent. compared with the same rate in February and 4 per cent in March, 1967. In the Hartlepool group of exchanges the unemployment rate in March, 1968, was 6.3 per cent. compared with 6 per cent.180W in February, 1968, and 5.5 per cent. in March, 1967. Vacancies increased slightly during the past month and are now 1,489 for Teesside and 509 at Hartlepool, compared with 1,298 for Teesside and 193 at Hartlepool last year.