§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total unemployed at the time of the introduction of the £6 pay policy; and what is the total at the latest available date.
§ Mr. GoldingThe numbers registered as unemployed in Great Britain, seasonally adjusted and excluding school-leavers, were 929,500 on 14th July 1975 and 1,200,400 on 13th May 1976.
Unadjusted and including school-leavers, the figures were 944,382 and 1,220,360, respectively.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will issue instructions to central Government Departments and advise local authorities that while unemployment remains at its present high levels preference must always be given to employing the bread-winner in a family, followed by a single person, and only then should consideration be given to a married person in a family where there is already one partner in full-time employment.
§ Mr. GoldingNo. The aim should be to recruit the person best qualified to do the job. In this connection regard must be paid to the Sex Discrimination Act, under which it is unlawful to discriminate in employment on grounds of sex or marriage.