§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is his estimate of (a) the total number of jobs that will be lost in the United Kingdom and (b) the total number of new jobs that will be created in the United Kingdom, as a result of the introduction and development of the micro-processor and associated silicon-chip technology by 1985 and 1990;
(2) if he will list which employment sectors he anticipates will be most severely hit in terms of net loss of jobs resulting from the use of microprocessors; and which employment sectors will not be significantly affected by such developments.
§ Mr. Golding:It is not possible to give detailed quantified forecasts of the overall job losses and job gains likely to result from the application of microelectronics or any other form of new technology over a given period of time. Likewise it is impossible to predict with accuracy which sectors of industry are likely to experience the most marked changes in their existing patterns of employment.
13WThe Government are neither complacent nor unduly pessimistic about the likely employment consequences of microelectronic technology. We believe that we have no option but to adapt to new technology in order to keep abreast of our international competitors. We also believe that this technology offers unique opportunities for the creation of new wealth which can be used for the benefit of the whole community. Such new wealth would of course provide the Government with opportunities for dealing with both transitional and longer term problems to which the technology might give rise. We would, of course, have no such opportunities open to us should we be faced with mass unemployment arising from failure to keep abreast of our competitors.