§ 18. Mr. Maxtonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the present level of unemployment in Scotland.
§ Mr. YoungerOn 11 December 1980, seasonally adjusted unemployment in Scotland was 246,100–10.9 per cent. The Government are deeply concerned about the continuing upward trend in unemployment in Scotland and elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and we have recently announced a substantial expansion of the special measures to help those most severely affected. A lasting solution can, however, only come through a fundamental improvement in our economic performance and it is to this end that our policies for controlling inflation and restoring our industrial competitiveness are directed.