75. Mr. Slaterasked the Minister of Labour the average number of employed in Durham County, both male and female, for the years 1953 to January, 1959; and what was the ratio of unemployed signing on at the employment exchanges in Durham County for the same periods.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodFollowing is the information required in so far as it is available.
Estimated numbers of employees in Durham County at end-May* for each of the years 1953 to 1957, together with the numbers registered as unemployed and the unemployment percentage rates at June of each of the years 1953 to 1958.fit for light work only; how many of these have been on the register for over six months; and what special steps are being taken to improve the situation.
§ Mr. WoodI am afraid the precise information requested is not available, but on 19th January, 1959, 2,444 registered 49W disabled persons were unemployed at these offices, of whom 1,007 had at some time served in Her Majesty's Forces and nearly all of whom would previously have worked in industry. Of the total, 2,189 were considered to be suitable for ordinary employment, though not necessarily in their former occupations, and 255 were considered unlikely to obtain employment except under sheltered conditions. In December, 1958, the latest date for which figures are available, 1,064 of those suitable for ordinary employment had been unemployed for more than six months. My disablement resettlement officers are doing their best to place them in suitable work.
Detailed analyses giving the age of persons unemployed and the duration of their unemployment are available only for June and December of each year. The following Table gives the information for 8th December, 1958.
NUMBERS OF PERSONS REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED AT THE UNDERMENTIONED EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AT 8TH DECEMBER, 1958 — Birtley Washington Station Chester-le-Street (including the Youth Employment Office) Males Females Males Females Males Females (1) Total number registered as wholly unemployed 110 49 98 59 300 83 (2) Number unemployed for 13 weeks and over (included in (1) above) 45 17 43 24 150 18 (3) Number aged 40* and over (included in (1) above)— (a) unemployed for 13 weeks or less 28 14 20 9 67 16 (b) unemployed for over 13 weeks 25 10 29 11 93 7 * The age analysis of the numbers of unemployed persons has not a division at age 45.