Unemployment Figures (Hansard, 30 November 1989)

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, between June 1987 and October 1989, seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom has fallen by 41.4 per cent. from 2,857,200 to 1,674,000, and in October was 5.9 per cent. of the estimated total workforce.

The Viscount of Oxfuird
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply which I am sure is one of interest to every Member of this House. Will he tell the House how the United Kikngdom unemployment totals compare with those which are averages in the European Community?

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, in September —the latest month for which I have comparable figures —the U.K. unemployment rate was 6.3 per cent., considerably less than the EC average of 9.1 per cent. The U.K. rate has been below the EC average since July 1987 when the figures were 10.7 per cent. for the EC and 10.6 per cent. for the United Kingdom.

§ Baroness Turner of Camden
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware of the gross disparity in employment figures in various regions of this country? For example, is he aware that in September the figure for various areas of Glasgow was 25.3 per cent. and that for Manchester central and for Glasgow central respectively it was 19.3 per cent.? Is he further aware that the figures for various other areas where there has been manufacturing industry are also very high? Does he agree that, although the figures in the South-East are as low as 1.5 and 1.1 per cent., the gross disparity between areas where there has been heavy manufacturing industry and those where there is service employment is quite unacceptable? What do the Government intend to do about that?

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, I do not have specific figures for the various regions of the country. However, there has been a fall in all regions in the United Kingdom over the past year. Rates of unemployment have fallen mostly in the North, followed by Wales and the West Midlands.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that the Northern region continues to have the highest rate of unemployment in the country after Northern Ireland? If he says, as I assume he will, that unemployment in the region is falling, will he comment on the fact that if it continues to fall at the rate that it has done over the past 10 years, it will achieve its 1979 rate in 2002?

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, as I said, I do not have figures for individual regions. I think that the noble Lord is becoming involved in speculation.

§ Baroness Turner of Camden
My Lords, perhaps I may return to the question that I put to the noble Earl. I asked him specifically what the Government intended to do about the high unemployment rates in the areas that I mentioned. Will he be kind enough to answer that question?

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, unemployment has fallen in all the regions mentioned by the noble Baroness. The Government hope that that will continue to be the case.

§ Baroness Phillips
My Lords, will the Minister tell me —if not now, then later —how many people have been made unemployed by virtue of the fact that they have reached the very ancient age of 40?

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, I am afraid that I cannot answer that question.

§ Lord Stoddart of Swindon
My Lords, will the noble Earl tell the House what he believes the rate of employment will be throughout 1990 if interest rates persist at 15 per cent. and perhaps go even higher?

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, that question is probably outwith the scope of the Question on the Order Paper. The Government do not involve themselves in speculation.

§ Baroness Lockwood
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that my noble friend Lady Turner was referring to black spots in different parts of the country and asked what specific measures the Government will take to deal with those difficult and intensive problems? Will he please answer that quesion?

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, I appreciate what the noble Baroness is trying to say, but again it is slightly beyond the scope of the Question on the Order Paper.

§ Lord Jenkins of Hillhead
My Lords, will the noble Earl tell us why the Government are prepared to forecast the future course of inflation, which they think may fall slightly, and not the future course of unemployment, which is at least as easy to forecast and which will no doubt rise somewhat?

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, the trend for unemployment is downwards. We hope that that will continue to be the case.

The Viscount of Oxfuird
My Lords, perhaps my noble friend will focus on the younger age group. Will he give us any figures which show how the youth employment rate compares with the European average?

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, youth unemployment is currently under half that of the EC average and has been since May.

§ Lord Stoddart of Swindon
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that the answer he gave to the noble Lord, Lord Jenkins, about the future course of unemployment appeared to me to be quite different from the one he gave to me? He said to me that my inquiry was outwith the Question, but he has now said that he hopes unemployment will be on a downward trend. What is the truth of the matter?

§ The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
My Lords, as I have already stated, unemployment is falling and has done so for 39 consecutive months.