§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is aware of the high rate of unemployment in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area of Fife; and what positive steps are being taken to eliminate the problem.
§ Mr. GoldingThe Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area forms part of the Dunfermline travel-to-work area where the unemployment rate in April was 6.3 per cent. I am aware and regret that within this larger area Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly has a high number of unemployed.
The area stands to benefit from the Government's manpower measures and young people in particular have been helped considerably by the success of the recruitment subsidy for school leavers 98W and the Manpower Services Commission's job creation programme. The prospects of those currently unemployed however depend in very large measure on an upturn in the economy generally.