CAB128-94_A1b — Page 236

FIDENT

PARENTARY

arliant Business

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1. The Cabinet were informed of the business to be taken in the House of Commons in the following week and the week beginning Monday 8 January 1990.

THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL said that a number of Ministers had indicated a wish to make an oral statement before the House rose for the Christmas adjournment. The programme for the following week was, however, tightly, packed. It would be helpful if colleagues could wherever Possible postpone statements until after the Christmas adjournment, or if announcements could be made in

He would be discussing the need for

native ways.

ixividual statements with those concerned.

In brief discussion, it was noted that questions following statements were increasingly lengthy, with the result that debates on subsequent business were too often curtailed was for the Speaker to decide how many questions to low following a statement, and he was known to wish to eas many backbenchers as possible an opportunity tease them. In the interests of shortening proceedings, Mters should, as a matter of general practice, make the oral statements and responses to supplementary questions as brief as was reasonably possible.

The Cabinet -

Took note.

FIDENT!

2MENT said that the

HOME AFFAIRS

2. THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR

Unemployment

Previous Reference: CC(89) 28.2

October

unemployment figures for November would be published later that day. They showed a seasonal adjusted fall in unemployment of 25,200 to 1.650 milion, the lowest level for over 9 years. Unemployment had now fallen for 40 consecutive months and was lower than at any time since October 1980. Since the 1987 General Electia unemployment had fallen by over 1.3 million. long term unemployment continued to fall faster than t unemployment and was now at its lowest level(inge October 1982. Over the previous year there had been significant improvements in the employment situation. The number of people without jobs had fallen by over 450,000 compared with November 1988. There were still around 600,000 vacancies in the economy as a whole. The unemployment now stood at 5.8%, a reduction of 1.7% over the year. regions had seen a reduction in unemployment over the year with the North, Wales and Scotland experiencing the largest falls. Figures for the annual increase in average earnings would also be published later that day. These were less encouraging. The rate of increase of average earnings over

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