§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) men, (b) women and (c) young people from ethnic minorities were registered as unemployed for each month since May 1979; what percentages these figures represent in each case; and what were the numbers and percentages for the population as a whole.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
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§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends to take to stimulate job opportunities among the unemployed in ethnic minority communities.
§ Mr. WaddingtonThe steps we are taking to get the economy right will lead to improved job opportunities for all unemployed workers, including those from the ethnic minorities.
In the meantime the ethnic minorities will benefit proportionately from the new deal for the unemployed which my right hon. Friend announced on 21 November last, in particular from the expansion of opportunities under the youth opportunities programme and the community industry scheme and also from the new community enterprise programme. In addition we shall continue to do all we can to ensure that the ethnic minorities are helped and encouraged to make full use of the special programmes for the unemployed. As an example of this, I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, after consultation with the Commission for Racial Equality, it is about to establish a small number of experimental"enabler" posts in the main areas of ethnic minority settlement to help minority groups participate more actively as sponsors of schemes under the programme.