asked the Minister of Labour what was the increase in the number of male employees in the Eastern and Southern Region and in Scotland, respectively, over the period from 1959 to the latest available date.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the increase in the number of female employees in the Eastern and Southern Region and in Scotland, respectively, since 1959.

Between 1959 and 1963 the estimated number of male employees increased by 120,000 in Eastern and Southern Region and decreased by 6,000 in Scotland. Over the same period the estimated number of female employees increased by 116,000 in the Eastern and Southern Region and by 35,000 in Scotland.

Do not these shocking figures show the failure of the Government to achieve growth in Scotland? Will he complete the picture by giving the figures for unfilled vacancies in the two areas?

I can give those additional figures if the hon. Gentleman will put down a Question. The figures I have just given brought the picture up to 1963. He will be as glad as I am at the substantial improvement in the situation in Scotland in recent months. Unemployment fell by 7,000 between April and May and is down by nearly 25,000 compared with a year ago.

Surely the right hon. Gentleman will not be content merely with the surface picture every time he comes to that Box? The position in Scotland is deteriorating. While we are glad to learn that the number of jobs has increased for women, do not these figures emphasise the disparity between the number of jobs available in Scotland and the number available in the South-East? Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the importance of providing industrial training and further education facilities for young women in Scotland as well as for men?

Yes. The point I was making was that since these figures were produced the position has considerably improved. Obviously, we all want it to improve still more, and the Government are doing more through the provision of advance factories. The Government's programme for Scotland is beginning to take effect, as is borne out by the figures for recent months.

May we have an assurance that the reduction of unemployment in Scotland is due to people formerly unemployed being able to find work in Scotland?

Obviously a very large number did so. I cannot, however, give the exact figure. But the hon. Gentleman will be aware of the importance of the Linwood factory, and I hope that he will convey to his right hon. and hon. Friends the need to encourage these workers by reassuring them about the developments of the last few days.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the ratio of wholly-unemployed boys to notified unfilled vacancies in the Eastern and Southern Region, the Midlands, and in Scotland, respectively, at the latest available date.

Mr. Bennett:

asked the Minister of Labour what was the ratio of wholly-unemployed girls to notified unfilled vacancies for girls in the Eastern and Southern Region, the Midlands and in Scotland, respectively, at the latest available date.

At mid-May for every 100 unemployed boys there were 799 unfilled vacancies in Eastern and Southern Region, 1,359 in the Midlands and 60 in Scotland. For every 100 unemployed girls there were 1,118 unfilled vacancies in Eastern and Southern Region, 1,913 in the Midlands and 199 in Scotland.

Surely the hon. Gentleman recognises that these figures show a terrible disparity between opportunities for young people in Scotland as compared with the South-East. Is it not a humiliating experience for young people who have done their best to obtain qualifications to fail to find jobs to match their skills?

Out of the 13,200 Easter school leavers in Scotland, only 299 were still registered as unemployed on 11th May. That certainly is not a position which has deteriorated from a year ago.

How many of these youngsters are leaving Scotland? Will the hon. Gentleman draw the attention of the Prime Minister to the fact that his country—or what he sometimes claims to be his country—is being regularly drained of its manhood?

The hon. Gentleman is making a lot of wild statements not substantiated by the facts.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the average weekly earnings of men over 21 years of age in the Eastern and Southern Region, the Midlands, and in Scotland, respectively, on the latest available date for which estimates were made.

In October 1963, the latest date for which figures are available, average weekly earnings of men manual workers 21 years and over in all industries covered by the Ministry's half-yearly inquiries were as follows:

These figures, together with those for other regions, were published in the March 1964 issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette.

Do not these figures bring out the fact that private enterprise, of which the Government so regularly boast, is the root cause of the difficulties existing in Scotland? Will the hon. Member see to it that he abandons the fallacies based on that boast?

I am surprised that the hon. Gentleman feels that Scotland cannot compete with England. That is not what most Scottish people say. These figures show the amount of earnings. The number of hours worked on average, is somewhat less in Scotland. There have also been lower costs for those not living in London and the South-East.

Mr. Gresham Cooke:

Is it not the case that many costs, such as rents, are lower in Scotland than in the South-East? Is it not also true that many union agreements made with employer associations allow for lower earnings in Scotland as compared with other parts of the country?

There are a number of factors. The fact remains that some people seem to combine the advantages of having a Scottish home with work in England.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the increase in the number of male employees of 18 years and under in the Eastern and Southern Region and in Scotland, respectively, over the period from 1959.

Separate figures are only available for boys under 18. Between mid-1959 and mid-1963, the number of boys under 18 in employment increased by 21,700 in the Eastern and Southern Region and 7,000 in Scotland.

Does not this illustrate once again the disparity between the opportunities in the south-east of England and those in the south-east of Scotland? Will the Government remember that in Scotland we need 40,000 new jobs a year if we are to stop the process which we have been discussing? When will the Government reach this figure?

I have indicated in reply to previous Questions that the Government have been and are doing a considerable amount through the variety of measures announced in the white paper which was issued last autumn. It was in the light of that that I asked for the support of hon. Members opposite regarding the expansion which should develop at the Lin-wood factory, about which there has been a good deal of comment over the weekend.