§ Mr. Knoxasked the Paymaster General what steps the United Kingdom Government are proposing to take to combat the problems of unemployment in the European Community.
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Wigan Metropolitan District Ward Petty Sessional Division Leigh Bench Makerfield Bench Wigan Bench Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Abram Makerfield — — 7 8.8 — — Ashton-Golborne Leigh/Makerfield — — 12 15.0 — — Aspull-Standish Makerfield/Wigan — — 9 11.2 14 15.4 Atherton Leigh 6 9.5 1 1.25 — — Bedford-Astley Leigh 3 4.8 — — — — Beech Hill Wigan — — 1 1.25 7 7.7 Bryn Makerfield — — 8 10.0 — — Hindley Makerfield 2 3.2 7 8.8 1 1.1 Hindley Green Makerfield 1 1.6 5 6.2 — — Hindsford Leigh 8 12.7 — — — — Hope Carr Leigh 12 19.0 2 2.5 — — Ince Makerfield — — 5 6.2 — — Langtree Wigan — — 1 1.25 16 17.6 Leigh Central Leigh 4 6.3 — — — — Leigh East Leigh 4 6.3 — — — — Lightshaw Makerfield — — 1 1.25 — — Newtown Wigan — — — — 1 1.1 Norley Wigan — — — — 1 1.1 Orrell Makerfield 1 1.6 7 8.8 2 2.2 Swinley Wigan — — — — 26 28.6 Tyldesley East Leigh 6 9.5 — — — — Whelley Wigan — — 2 2.5 5 5.5 Winstanley Makerfield 1 1.6 3 3.8 3 3.3 Worsley Mesnes Wigan — — — — 5 5.5
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have, acting jointly with the Employment Ministers of Italy and Ireland, put forward a paper entitled "Employment Growth into the 1990s—a strategy for the Labour Market," which will be discussed at the EC Council of Labour and Social Affairs Ministers on Thursday 5 June. The paper, which has been agreed by the three member states concerned, sets out proposals for a labour market initiative aimed at combating the problem of unemployment in the European Community. The paper concentrates on four main areas where action might be taken: promoting enterprise and self-employment; flexible employment patterns and conditions of work; training; and long-term unemployment. It proposes a number of specific measures in each area as part of a programme of action which could be carried forward jointly by the European Commission and member states.
We shall now be looking to take this initiative forward as part of our presidency of the Community in the second half of this year.
I am placing a copy of the paper in the Library.