§ 42. Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to deal with the level of unemployment in the East Midlands Region.
§ Mr. GoldingThe special employment measures which my Department has introduced to alleviate the worst effects of unemployment have now helped over 42,000 people in the East Midlands Region. In addition, over 4,900 people in the East Midlands were trained under the training opportunities scheme during 1976, a level which the Training Services Agency expects to maintain during the current financial year. The region will also benefit from the youth opportunities programme and the special temporary employment programme which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 29th June. In the longer term the Government's policies to reduce inflation and to improve investment, output and competitiveness offer the best prospects of promoting economic expansion and of securing a return to full and stable employment in the East Midlands as in the rest of the country.