§ Mr. John Home Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take to reduce unemployment in the construction industry in Berwickshire and East Lothian.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThe Government's overall economic strategy aims to bring down the rate of inflation and interest rates, to restore incentives and to plan for a level of spending which is compatible with our objectives for taxation and borrowing and with a realistic assessment of the prospects for economic growth. The creation of a healthy economy by these means holds the best hope of a reduction in unemployment in the construction industry in Berwickshire and East Lothian as elsewhere.
§ Mr. John Home Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many construction workers are at present unemployed in Berwickshire and East Lothian.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherInformation is not available in the precise form requested. The following table gives the numbers of people who last worked in the construction industry and who were registered as unemployed in the Eyemouth, Haddington, Musselburgh and Tranent employment office areas, which between them cover most of Berwickshire and East Lothian, on 13 November 1980, the latest date for which information is available.
Employment Office Area Numbers Registered as Unemployed Eyemouth 24 Haddington 150 Musselburgh 332 Tranent 161 Total 667