§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Employment, in the light of the fact that recent male unemployment in some inner city areas in London is significantly higher than the national average of about 6 per cent., that in some London boroughs it is as high as 14.8 per cent. and many over 7 per cent.; what action he has taken or intends taking to 254W reduce unemployment in London generally and the boroughs with excessive unemployment in particular.
§ Mr. GoldingI am aware that some areas of London, particularly the inner city areas, have severe concentrations of unemployment. The special employment measures we have introduced have so far helped over 28,750 people in the Greater London area, and these will be further developed by the introduction of the Youth Opportunities Programme and the Special Temporary Employment Programme. These measures are designed to tackle unemployment wherever it is most severe, and so should benefit those boroughs with the highest concentrations of unemployment, provided that there is a healthy response from the local authorities, employers and other bodies in the local community in putting forward schemes to be financed under the new programmes. In addition, the offer of three inner city partnerships of London should, through efforts to regenerate the economies of their areas, help to alleviate unemployment in the inner city area.