§ Mr. Reidasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers are currently unemployed within the areas of the Alloa and Falkirk employment offices; how the figures compare with the same month in each of the past five years; and what steps he is taking to ensure that they find jobs.
§ Mr. GoldingIn the areas of the careers offices of Alloa and Falkirk—including Grangemouth, Bo'ness and Denny—the numbers of school leavers registered as unemployed were as follows:
Alloa Falkirk October 1971 12 61 October 1972 23 89 October 1973 2 8 October 1974 15 26 October 1975 65 145 October 1976 101 352 Although the current situation gives cause for concern, the numbers for 1976 in Alloa have come down from 252 in July, and in Falkirk from 888, and it is hoped that, with the assistance of the measures introduced by the Government, the numbers entering employment or training should continue to increase.