§ Mr. Loydenasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what representations have been made to him by the Trades Union Congress on unemployment;
(2) what plans he has for reducing unemployment.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkWe have received no recent specific representations from the Trades Union Congress on the question of unemployment.
Some 689,000 people are benefiting from our employment and training measures designed to alleviate the impact of unemployment on those most affected. However, sustainable employment depends on a healthy economy and competitive industry. Our policies are directed to this end, and we continue to look for ways of building on what has been achieved so far. One important influence on firms' competitiveness is the level of wages, 263W and the Government believes that moderating the growth in real earnings will have a significant impact on unemployment.