§ 46. Mr. Urwinasked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the percentage increase in unemployment in the Houghton-le-Spring constituency arising from the closure of Silksworth Colliery.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithI understand that most of the miners employed at Silks-worth have been given jobs in other collieries. I would not wish to minimise the very real problems being faced by the workers who are losing their jobs, but I do not expect the closure to lead to a significant rise in unemployment in the area.