§ 37. Mr. Hefferasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for unemployment on Merseyside; if he intends to make a visit to that area in the near future; and what proposals he has to tackle the problem.
§ Mr. GoldingThe latest unemployment figures for Merseyside are those which I provided in my reply to my hon. Friend on Thursday 28th October. My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to visit Merseyside.
The main governmental reponsibility for stimulating employment in the assisted areas rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry. Merseyside already has special development area status and thus qualifies for the highet levels of regional assistance. Merseyside is also benefiting from the special measures which the Government has introduced to alleviate unemployment. So far over 16,000 people have been assisted by means of the Job Creation and Work Experience Programme, the temporary employment subsidy, and the recruitment subsidy and youth em- 158W ployment subsidy schemes. Merseyside will also stand to benefit from the job release scheme—when this comes into operation on 3rd January 1977.