asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make an estimate of the percentage of current unemployment in the West Midlands area attributable to the failure of the private sector to invest adequately; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.On a seasonally adjusted basis the current rate of unemployment in the West Midlands is 3·1 per cent. compared with 33 per cent. for Great Britain as a whole. Lack of adequate investment in the private sector is certaintly one of the factors responsible for this rate of unemployment which, both nationally and in the region, is much too high.