§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many construction industry workers were unemployed in Scotland at the latest available date; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LangThere is no analysis of the monthly unemployment count by occupation. However, the labour force survey provides information on the previous occupation of those who are unemployed. The latest information, from the 1988 labour force survey, shows that in spring 1988, on the basis of the ILO definition, there were an estimated 20,000 unemployed persons in the construction industry in Scotland.
The Scottish construction industry has prospered well in 1989 with orders and output for the first half of the year at the highest levels since 1978 and 1980, respectively. Orders in the first half of 1989 were up 26.6 per cent. in real terms on those of the same period in 1988 and point to continued strong growth of output and improving employment prospects over the next 12 months.
The latest Building Employer's Confederation state of trade inquiry shows that a net 73 per cent. of Scottish firms expect an increase in their workload over the coming year.
§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the level of unemployment of young people in Scotland at the latest available date.
§ Mr. LangIn July 1989, the latest date for which the information is available, there were 72,740 young people aged between 18 and 24 unemployed in Scotland. In the past two years the number of unemployed in this age group in Scotland has fallen by more than 32,000, a drop of almost one third.