HC Deb 21 July 1975 vol 896 cc69-71W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average number of registered unemployed, the average duration of unemployment and the average number of reported vacancies in each year since 1949.

Mr. John Fraser

Averages of the monthly figures for total unemployed and total notified unfilled vacancies are shown in the following table. The vacancy statistics relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices and are not a measure of total vacancies for most of the period, although there was a statutory obligation to notify vacancies in some of the earlier years up to 1956. I regret that information about the average duration of unemployment is not available in the form requested. However, for those on the register on the day of the count, an analysis of the duration of unemployment up to that day is compiled for quarter months. The figures for the years 1949 to 1968 are published at Table 175 of British Labour Statistics: Historical Abstract 1886–1968, and the corresponding figures for later years are published in theDepartment of Employment Gazette.

Notified unfilled vacancies
Unemployed Employment Offices Careers Offices
1949 … … 300.1 396.8
1950 … … 305.5 364.9
1951 … … 237.0 416.3
1952 … … 328.7 277.7
1953 … … 319.9 278.3
1954 … … 271.6 330.5
1955 … … 213.2 409.5
1956 … … 229.6 360.6
1957 … … 294.5 275.8
1958 … … 410.1 197.5
1959 … … 444.5 223.5
1960 … … 345.8 313.7
1961 … … 312.1 320.3
1962 … … 431.9 213.7
1963 … … 520.6 196.3
1964 … … 372.2 317.2
1965 … … 317.0 384.4
1966 … … 330.9 370.9
1967 … … 521.0 249.7
1968 … … 549.4 271.3
1969 … … 543.8 284.8
1970 … … 582.2 259.6
1971 … … 758.4 176.1
1972 … … 844.1 189.3
1973… … 597.9 397.7
1974* … … 599.7 298.8 94.6
* Owing to industrial action at local offices of the Employment Service Agency data for December 1974 are not available and the figures for 1974 are averages of 11 months.

Statutory and administrative changes, which have been introduced at various dates during the period referred to in the table, have had an effect on recorded vacancy levels. Details of the changes are given in British Labour Statistics: Historical Abstract 1949 to 1968.

Because of possible duplication the 1974 vacancies for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.

Mr. Dempsey

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report details showing the number of males and females over and under 18 years of age, respectively, registering for employment in each of the regions of the United Kingdom at the most recent convenient date; and what these figures represented as a percentage of the total insurable population.

Mr. John Fraser

Statistics of those aged under 18 and those aged 18 and over are available only from the detailed age analysis which is normally made in January and July each year. The figures for July 1975 will become available in two to three weeks' time. I shall circulate a table in theOfficial Report when the figures are ready.

Mr. Tebbit

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in which months during the past 10 years the number of unemployed persons has exceeded 1½ million.

Mr. John Fraser

The monthly counts of the unemployed have not exceeded 1½ million on any occasion during the past 10 years.