HC Deb 15 November 1971 vol 826 cc60-1W
Mr. Mason

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent he is considering some special schemes to alleviate unemployment among redundant mine workers over 55 years of age.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Older ex-miners stand to benefit from my Department's general policy of encouraging employers to engage older workers wherever possible and not to specify age limits for the vacancies they notify. All the facilities of my Department's employment services will continue to be available to help them. Their prospects will be improved by the many measures the Government have taken to stimulate output and employment in the country as a whole and in the assisted areas where most of the coal mining redundancies have taken place.

Redundant miners may benefit from my Department's special arrangements whereby grants are available to employers in assisted areas who engage and train workers aged 45 and over who have been unemployed for at least eight weeks.

Mr. Mason

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many miners are at present unemployed between 55 and 60 years of age.

Mr. Bryan

We do not have information about the ages of all unemployed coal miners. However, of the 12,349 redundant mineworkers who were registered as unemployed on 13th September, 2,437 were aged 55–59.

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