asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were unemployed in the area covered by the Macclesfield constituency to the latest convenient date; and how this figure compares with the regional percentage figure and the national percentage figure.

On 9th June 1975, 1,101 people were unemployed in the area covered by the Macclesfield and Congleton employment offices and the rate of unemployment was 3·1 per cent. The corresponding rate for the North-West Region was 4·9 per cent. and for Great Britain 3·7 per cent.