§ Mr. Michael Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he proposes, if any, to improve employment prospects in the South-East.
§ Mt. Goldingthe improvement of employment prospects in the South-East depends on the Government's success defeating inflation and regenerating industry. In the meantime, the special employment measures which my Department has introduced have already helped over 75,200 people in the South-East. This will be further developed by the introduction of the youth opportunities programme for which £17.7 million has been allocated in the South-East for 1978–9, and by the special temporary employment programme under which South-East has heed; allocated £7.3 million.
I appeal to local authorities, employers and others in the South-East to take full advantage of these new Programmes, for which the Manpower Services Commission is now accepting applications from sponsors.