§ 6. Mr. Ridleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the fall in the numbers engaged in manufacturing between June, 1966, and the latest convenient date; and what was the increase in the numbers employed by central and local government during the same period.
§ Mr. HattersleyIt is provisionally estimated that between June, 1966, and April, 1968, the number employed in manufacturing industries in Great Britain fell by about 369,000. Excluding Post Office employees, the numbers of industrial civil servants decreased by 7,000 and the numbers of non-industrials increased by 41,000 during the same period.
Information about the numbers employed by Local Authorities and in Police Forces is available only at June each year; between 1966 and 1967 the numbers increased by 94,000.
§ 10. Mr. William Priceasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what estimate she has made of the number of people actively seeking employment at the present time.
§ Mr. FernyhoughOn 10th June about 507,000 persons were registered as wholly unemployed and seeking employment through employment exchanges and youth employment offices. In addition about 80,000 employed persons are registered as seeking alternative employment. I have no means of estimating the number of persons who are seeking employment but are not registered.
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§ 11. Mr. William Priceasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what study has been made of the extent to which increases in welfare benefits have encouraged unemployed people not to seek work.
§ Mr. FernyhoughNo special study has been made of this subject so far as I am aware. In the experience of my officers, the great majority of unemployed people registered at the employment exchanges are willing and anxious to obtain work.
My right hon. Friend the Minister of Social Security is concerned and is taking action about the very small minority who abuse social security benefits.
§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, between June, 1966, and June, 1967, what was the drop in the numbers employed in manufacturing, and what was the increase in the numbers employed by central and local government, respectively.
§ Mr. HattersleyIt is estimated that between June, 1966, and June, 1967, the numbers employed in manufacturing industries fell by 276,000 and that the numbers employed by local authorities and in police forces increased by 94,000.
Excluding Post Offices employees, the numbers of industrial civil servants decreased by 2,000 and the numbers of non-industrials increased by 25,000 during the same period.