HC Deb 07 December 1971 vol 827 cc292-3W
Mr. Sproat

asked the Secretary of State for employment what percentage of those registered as unemployed at the latest available date were men who had retired before the age of 65 years, in Scotland and in Great Britain, respectively.

Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons included in the most recent unemployment figures have reached the retiring age in their particular profession before registering as unemployed.

Mr. Bryan

The monthly counts of the unemployed include all persons registered for employment at Employment Exchanges and Youth Employment Service Careers Offices who are both available for and capable of work. There is no requirement for registrants to give details of any occupational retirement pensions they may be receiving. However, as a result of a special sample survey held in January, 1971, it was estimated that about 4,000 registered wholly unemployed men aged 60–64 in Scotland and about 52,000 in Great Britain as a whole were receiving occupational pensions. These men constituted about 31 per cent. and 7½ per cent. of all unemployed registrants in Scotland and in Great Britain respectively in that month.

Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the people included in the most recent unemployment figures have been unemployed for more than one year; and how many of them have never had a job at all.

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AT 8TH NOVEMBER, 1971 IN EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AREAS IN LANARKSHIRE
Men, 18 and over Boys, under 18 Women, 18 and over Girls, under 18 Total Percentage rate*
Airdrie 1,499 149 460 86 2,194 8.9
Bellshill 621 85 226 59 991
Blantyre 556 36 211 39 842
Carluke 132 8 63 12 215
Coatbridge 1,885 196 535 101 2,717
East Kilbride 699 60 210 31 1,000
Hamilton 1,531 74 471 68 2,144
Larkhall 510 41 235 33 819
Motherwell 1,036 95 361 71 1,563
Uddingston 588 50 162 19 819
Wishaw 1,145 117 473 105 1,840
Lanark 324 41 163 39 567 7.2
Lesmahagow 379 14 226 30 649 24.6
Shotts 359 26 177 34 596 10.1
* Percentage rates of unemployment are calculated by expressing the total numbers registered as unemployed as percentages of the estimated numbers of employees, employed and unemployed. Rates can be calculated for the whole of the North Lanarkshire travel-to-work area but not separately for its constituent parts.