Mr. Moormanasked the Minister of Labour what is the percentage of unemployed in the Brentwood and Basildon 283W Urban District Council areas; and how these figures compare with the national average.
§ Mr. FernyhoughAt 13th November, 1967, the percentage rates of unemployment in the areas covered by the Brentwood and Basildon (including Canvey Island) Employment Exchanges and in Great Britain were 1.5, 3.9 and 2.5, respectively.
ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES AT MID-1966 (Thousands) Manufacturing industries (Orders III-XVI of the Standard Industrial Classification) Non-manufacturing industries (Orders I, II and XVII-XXIV) Total all industries and services In Development Areas Outside Development Areas In Development Areas Outside Development Areas (including those not classified by industry) South East … … — 2,616 — 5,447 8,068 East Anglia … … — 190 — 425 615 South Western … … 20* 390* 120* 830* 1,355 West Midlands … … — 1,263 — 1,123 2,388 East Midlands … … — 625 — 810 1,437 Yorkshire and Humberside … — 902 — 1,207 2,111 North western … … 350* 1,030* 510* 1,150* 3,034 Northern … … 466 — 866 — 1,335 Scotland … … 690* 60* 1,250* 180* 2,193 Wales … … 210* 120* 450* 230* 1,007 * As precise estimates of the numbers of employees in manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries cannot be made for Development Areas, these estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10,000.
§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Minister of Labour if he will give an estimate of the additional number of persons in Wales who would be available for employment if the employee activity rate in Wales for all persons over 15 years of age equalled that of England.
§ Mr. HattersleyIf the employee activity rate in Wales in 1966 had been equal to that in England, the number of employees in Wales would have been about 200,000 higher. But the difference between the activity rates in England and Wales is only partly due to economic factors.