§ Me. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Employment bow many men aged 55 years and over, and young males, are presently unemployed in each planning region of the United Kingdom; and if he will show the percentage decrease in
Number unemployed on 8th January 1973 (Provisional) Percentage change January 1972 to January 1973 Percentage change March 1972 to January 1973 Men aged 55 and over Boys aged under 18 Men aged 55 and over Boys aged under 18 Boys aged under 18 South-East 41,645 3,637 - 4.8 -29.3 -23.3 East Anglia 5,278 435 -13.8 -45.7 -34.0 South-West 14,654 964 - 5.5 -32.3 -27.6 West Midlands 14,786 2,039 - 7.4 -30.3 -27.4 East Midlands 10,862 1,104 - 6.7 -23.1 -21.1 Yorkshire and Humberside 17,133 2,335 - 5.4 -25.5 -20.3 North-West 23,701 5,728 - 0.3 + 5.8 + 11.3 North 16,836 3,802 - 6.1 - 2.9 + 13.3 Wales 9,499 1,975 - 8.7 -15.1 -10.8 Scotland 20,105 6,020 - 0.8 -18.3 -16.9 Northern Ireland 3,938* 1,646 -21.4* -11.1 + 5.4 * The figure for men aged 55 and over for Northern Ireland relates to December 1972 and the percentage change has been calculated from December 1971.