§ Mr. Leeasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give an estimate of the number of new jobs that would be created if all overtime were to be abolished in areas where unemployed persons in the same job classification as those where overtime exists are living; which six main occupations would be most favourably affected; and if he will make a statement on the measures currently being taken to reduce overtime.
§ Mr. GoldingMy Department's overtime statistics relate only to operations in 185W manufacturing industry and are not analysed by areas below regions or by occupations. According to the latest returns, a total of 15,980,000 hours overtime was
OVERTIME IN GREAT BRITAIN, NOVEMBER 1977 Thousands Hours of overtime worked Jobs equivalent of overtime worked* Unemployed total at 10th November 1977 South East and East Anglia … … 4,691.4 117.3 377.0 SouthWest … … 975.9 24.4 116.0 West Midlands … … 1,999.2 50.0 131.7 East Midlands … … 1,224.4 30.6 72.2 Yorkshire and Huffiberside … … 1,830.9 45.8 122.7 North West … … 2,298.1 57.5 215.9 North … … 892.1 22.3 1190 Wales … … 517.1 12.9 91.1 Scotland … … 1,550.9 38.8 185.2 GREAT BRITAIN … … 15,9800 399.5 1,430.8 * On the assumption that a job is created in place of each 40 hours of overtime worked. Overtime is regarded as a matter for negotiation between unions and management in each industry. My right hon. Friend will be making a statement about employment measures in due course.