Mr. Hoggasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what the present level of youth unemployment is in each of Scotland's new towns; and how this compares with the position 12 months previously.
Mr. StewartSeparate unemployment figures are not available for the new towns but are included in the jobcentre areas of the same name. On 12 July 1984, the latest date for which information is available, the number of unemployed claimants under the age of 18 in the Cumbernauld, Glenrothes, Livingston, East Kilbride and Irvine jobcentre area was 287, 185, 359, 239 and 221 respectively. These figures show an overall improvement on the position 12 monthts previously, with reductions of 10 (3.5 per cent.), 15 (8.1 per cent.), zero, 41 (17.1 per cent.) and 63 (28.5 per cent.) respectively.