§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the approximate number of unemployed in the Liverpool, Scotland Exchange constituency at the latest date; and how many of these were 18 years of age.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 10 June 1981]: This information is available for the Liverpool employment office area, which is somewhat larger than the constituency. At 9 April, the latest date for which an age analysis is available, 19,338 people were registered as unemployed, of whom 1,148 were 18 years of age.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to reduce unemployment in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and the Merseyside special development area, respectively; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 10 June 1981]: A reduction in unemployment in these areas, as in the country as a whole, depends primarily on the ability of our firms to produce goods which people in this country and overseas want to buy, and also on an upturn in world trade. The Government's policies aim to produce conditions—above all, a lower rate of inflation—in which firms will find it easier to become competitive and so take advantage of the upturn. This is the only way to bring about the increase in employment which we all want.
Within this framework, the Merseyside special development area will of course continue to benefit from the Government's policy of concentrating regional policy on the areas in greatest need, and also on the Government's enhanced programme of special employment and training measures.
Merseyside is the only area in Great Britain to attract the maximum levels of regional assistance, to have an urban development corporation and an inner city partnership, together with an enterprise zone, to be set up later this summer.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many job vacancies there were in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest date; and how many there were in May 1979.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 10 June 1981]: Following is the information:
195W The vacancy statistics relate only to those notified to employment offices and careers offices; vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication, the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together. The number of vacancies unfilled on a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn during the preceding month, which may reflect activity more closely.
Number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the Liverpool travel-to-work area At employment offices At careers offices May 1979 2,406 71 May 1981* 2,023 15 * Provisional.