HC Deb 25 February 1971 vol 812 cc193-8W
29. Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of unemployed in Great Britain in total and by region, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. R. Carr

The provisional total number registered as unemployed in Great Britain at 8th February was 721,143 which is 3.1 per cent. The information by region is as follows:

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AT 8TH FEBRUARY, 1971 (PROVISIONAL)
Registered Un-employed Percentage Rate
South East 149,011 1.9
East Anglia 19,476 3.0
South Western 46,597 3.5
West Midlands 64,060 2.8
East Midlands 39,990 2.8
Yorkshire and Humberside 69,635 3.4
North Western 102,226 3.5
Northern 68,839 5.2
Wales 43,053 4.4
Scotland 118,256 5.5
Great Britain 721,143 3.1

33. Mr. J. H. Osborn

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is now the level of unemployment; and how this compares with the highest and lowest figures for recent years, bearing in mind the change in the total number in employment.

Mr. R. Carr

At 8th February the provisional rate of the total numbers registered as unemployed in Great Britain was 3.1 per cent.

The following table shows the highest and lowest rates in each year from 1965 to 1970:

HIGHEST AND LOWEST PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT FOR GREAT BRITAIN, 1965 AND 1970
Highest Lowest
Month per cent. Month per cent.
1965
January 1.6 June 1.2
1966
December 2.4 June 1.1
1967
February 2.6 July 2.1
1968
January 2.7 July 2.2
1969
January 2.6 June 2.2
1970
January 2.7 June 2.4

39. Mr. John Fraser

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the latest unemployment figures.

Mr. R. Carr

Between January and February the total number of persons registered as unemployed increased by 30,806 to 721,143 or 3.1 per cent. of all employees. This increase included 21,745 who were temporarily stopped from work.

41. Dr. Gilbert

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the latest unadjusted unemployment figures; and by what amount these have risen since June, 1970.

Mr. R. Carr

The provisional total number of persons registered as unemployed in Great Britain at 8th February, 1971 was 721,143. This was 174,566 higher than the figure at 8th June, 1970.

45. Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current unemployment rate among specifically unskilled manual workers in each of the administrative regions.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Statistics for the group of unskilled manual workers, both in and out of employment, will be collected in the Census of Population which

NUMBERS OF MEN AND WOMEN REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED AND NOTIFIED VACANCIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN REMAINING UNFILLED IN DECEMBER, 1970 FOR CERTAIN GROUPS OF OCCUPATIONS
Solent* South East Great Britain
Wholly unemployed Unfilled vacancies Wholly unemployed Unfilled vacancies Wholly unemployed Unfilled vacancies
Certain skilled occupations 1,367 395 13,815 12,106 57,690 27,339
Labouring occupations, including factory hands 3,831 300 42,093 9,474 279,923 17,911
Administrative, professional and technical workers 835 537 13,462 9,584 36,358 24,090
Other occupations 4,084 1,099 53,754 36,404 200,910 87,986
Total, all occupations 10,117 2,331 123,124 67,568 574 881 157,326
*The area covered by the Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, Southampton, Eastleigh, Hythe, Romsey and Woolston Employment Exchanges and the Isle of Wight.
Certain occupations generally regarded as skilled in the engineering, construction, vehicle building, woodworking and printing industries.
The vacancy statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

66. Mr. Ross

asked the Secretary of of State for Employment if he will state, for the latest available date, the number of male and female workers unemployed, the unemployment percentage in each case, and the aggregate number of unemployed and the unemployment percentage that figure represents, for the Kilmarnock, Stewarton and Newmilns exchange areas; and for each of the exchange areas now listed as included in Special Development Areas in Scotland, England and Wales.

is to be held in April. The statistics which are collected in between the Censuses of Population do not have the degree of detail needed to give valid estimates of unemployment rates for this group in the form requested.

54. Mr. Judd

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the rate of unemployment and the level of job availability in the Solent area, in South-East England and in the country as a whole at the latest available date for each of the following categories, skilled workers, unskilled workers, and professional workers.

Mr. Dudley Smith

My Department does not calculate rates of unemployment for groups of occupations.

There are no universally accepted definitions of skilled and unskilled workers. However, the following table shows the numbers registered as wholly unemployed and the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in certain occupational groups:

Mr. Dudley Smith

At 8th February, 1971, there were 1,639 persons, 1,232 male and 407 females registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Kilmarnock Employment Exchange, which includes Stewarton and Newmilns. The percentage rates of unemployment were 5.8 for males, 3.1 for females and 4.7 in total.

The following table shows the provisional numbers registered as unemployed at 8th February in each of the Employment Exchange areas which have been listed as Special Development Areas. Some of the rates of unemployment in these areas have been calculated and the remainder will be ready in a few days. A full list will be sent to the right hon. Member as soon as they are all available.

PROVISIONAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT 8TH FEBRUARY, 1971 IN SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS.
Northern Region Males Females Total
Ashington 1,007 113 1,120
Bedlington 682 83 765
Blyth 1,047 90 1,137
Haltwhistle 64 20 84
Millom 184 29 213
Seaton Delaval 405 48 453
Chester-le-Street 789 97 886
Birtley 228 29 257
Houghton-le-Spring 818 140 958
Consett 565 140 705
Lanchester 107 28 135
Stanley 950 101 1,051
Bishop Auckland 847 78 925
Crook 615 54 669
Shildon 159 16 175
Spennymoor 882 76 958
Hartlepool 2,061 457 2,518
Hartlepool Headland 328 15 343
Peterlee 1,074 181 1,255
Wingate 611 38 649
Blaydon 807 117 924
East Boldon 287 26 313
Elswick 1,832 1,832
Felling 718 70 788
Gateshead 2,178 213 2,391
Jarrow and Hebburn 1,577 286 1,863
Newburn 410 19 429
Newcastle-on-Tyne 3,929 867 4,796
North Shields 1,301 252 1,553
Prudhoe 240 26 266
South Shields 2,872 473 3,345
Walker 987 114 1,101
Wallsend 1,052 191 1,243
West Moor 601 106 707
Whitley Bay 741 138 879
Sunderland 3,030 1,137 4,167
Pallion 1,368 182 1,550
Seaham 413 237 650
Southwick 1,255 154 1,409
Washington 522 53 575
Whitehaven 647 225 872
Cleator Moor 497 144 641
Workington 491 272 763
Aspatria 60 8 68
Cockermouth 145 36 181
Maryport 289 82 371
Wales Males Females Total
Aberdare 594 115 709
Mountain Ash 273 37 310
Bargoed 569 85 654
Blackwood 480 108 588
Pontlottyn 309 74 383
Ystrad Mynach 268 65 333
Ebbw Vale 220 54 274
Abertillery 415 215 630
Brynmawr 212 37 249
Tredegar 267 72 339
Merthyr Tydfil 767 106 873
Wales Males Female Totals
Dowlais 179 25 204
Treharris 144 31 175
Neath 516 158 674
Resolven 86 38 124
Newbridge 404 62 466
Pontypridd 717 144 861
Ferndale 231 87 318
Pontyclun 108 19 127
Tonypandy 817 191 1,008
Tonyrefail 270 60 330
Treorchy 325 100 425
Cymmer 171 55 226
Maesteg 301 94 395
Ystalyfera 130 45 175
Amman ford 237 144 381
Garnant 64 81 145
Pontardawe 46 23 69
Scotland Males Females Total
Cumbernauld 387 163 550
Girvan 238 72 310
Kilsyth 262 49 311
Lesmahagow 316 93 409
Sanquhar 206 87 293
Shotts 333 191 524
Dumbarton 575 132 707
Alexandria 738 230 968
Helensburgh 210 38 248
Edinburgh 4,774 673 5,447
Portobello 851 138 989
Glasgow Professional and Executive Employment Office 288 213 501
Glasgow (South Side) 3,934 363 4,297
Barrhead 936 80 1,016
Bridgeton 2,823 335 3,158
Cambuslang 311 77 388
Clydebank 2,291 280 2,571
Govan 2,022 347 2,369
Hillington 221 38 259
Kinning Park 951 116 1,067
Kirkintilloch 410 112 522
Maryhill 3,138 544 3,682
Parkhead 5,216 989 6,205
Partick 2,085 353 2,438
Rutherglen 955 133 1,088
Springburn 4,994 767 5,761
Greenock 1,680 889 2,569
Port Glasgow 641 289 930
Irvine 440 100 540
Dalry 64 22 86
Kilwinning 135 26 161
Saltcoats 1,086 401 1,487
Motherwell 754 355 1,109
Airdrie 1,147 448 1,595
Bellshill 528 264 792
Blantyre 461 140 601
Carluke 118 65 183
Coatbridge 1,432 529 1,961
East Kilbride 516 172 688
Hamilton 1,143 486 1,629
Larkhall 361 217 578
Uddington 430 161 591
Wishaw 784 440 1,224
Paisley 1,975 429 2,404
Johnstone 557 187 744
Renfrew 273 88 361