§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to reduce unemployment in the Province; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. AtkinsOver the year to September 1993 there has been a welcome fall of 2,400–2.2 per cent.—in seasonally adjusted unemployment in Northern Ireland.
Further reductions in unemployment in Northern Ireland will depend on the achievement of higher levels of economic growth leading to increased employment opportunities, and on Northern Ireland industry becoming more internationally competitive.
The Government's strategy to achieve this includes helping companies to identify and remove obstacles to growth; encouraging inward investment; increasing exports; building up management and work force skills; developing and enterprise culture; and supporting innovation and research and development. Help is available in each of these areas for activities which will improve business performance.
§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures in the Province.
§ Mr. AtkinsI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton (Mr. Callaghan) on 2 November.
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Executive NDPB Attend board/committee meetings Inspect the minutes of meetings Statutory right to Inspect the annual reports Inspect the annual accounts Inspect a register of Members' interests National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland No No No No No Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland No No Yes Yes No Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU) No No Yes Yes No Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) No No Yes Yes No Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) No No Yes Yes No Fair Employment Commission (FEC) No No Yes Yes No General Consumer Council (GCC) No No Yes Yes No Northern Ireland Consumer Committee for Electricity 1Yes No No No No Health and Safety Agency (HSA) No No Yes Yes No Labour Relations Agency (LRA) No No Yes Yes No Enterprise Ulster (EU) No No Yes Yes No Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) No No Yes Yes No Ulster Sheltered Employment Ltd. (USEL) No No Yes Yes No Northern Ireland Local Government Officers' Superannuation Committee No No Yes Yes No Laganside No No No No No Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company No No Yes Yes No Fire Authority 2Yes No Yes Yes No 3No Northern Ireland Housing Executive No No No Yes No Agricultural Research Institute for Northern Ireland No No No No No Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland No No No No No Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland No No Yes Yes No Foyle Fisheries Commission No No Yes Yes No Livestock Marketing Commission for Northern Ireland No No Yes Yes No Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority No No No No No Pig Production Development Committee No No Yes Yes No Probation Board for Northern Ireland No No No Yes No Vaughan's Charity No No No No No Public Service Training School No No No No No Education and Library Boards (5) 4Yes Yes No Yes No Council for Catholic Maintained Schools No No No No No Northern Ireland Schools Examinations and Assessment Council No No No Yes No Arts Council for Northern Ireland No No Yes Yes No Sports Council for Northern Ireland No No Yes Yes No Youth Council for Northern Ireland No No No Yes No Ulster Museum No No Yes Yes No Ulster Folk and Transport Museum No No No Yes No Police Authority for Northern Ireland No No No Yes No Independent Commission for Police Complaints No No Yes Yes No
§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the level of unemployment in the construction industry in the Province; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsAt 9 September there were 18,122 unemployed construction workers in Northern Ireland, representing a decrease of 227 on the previous month and a fall of 920 from September 1992.