§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has made an assessment of the implications for the Scottish economy of the current level of unemployment in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LangThe increase in unemployment in Scotland over the past year can largely be explained by the fall in oil-related employment. Based on the results of the latest MSC survey, it is estimated that employment in wholly oil-related firms in Scotland fell by over 14,000 between December 1985 and December 1986, and total Scottish employment by some 1 per cent. It is important to preserve as much as possible of our oil-related capacity to take advantage of any upturn in demand.
The Government's economic policies, by creating the conditions for sustained economic growth and low inflation, offer the best hope of a lasting reduction in unemployment. Scotland benefits from regional policy and the activities of the SDA and HIDB, as well as a wide range of employment and training measures.