§ Mr. Silvesterasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will describe
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Country Calculation of unemployment rate Main differences from United Kingdom unemployment statistics United Kingdom All unemployed persons aged 16 and over and capable of and available for work who are registered at an employment office or careers office are included in the number of unemployed. The rate is calculated by expressing the number unemployed as a percentage of the total number of employees, employed and unemployed. Belgium … The number of unemployed insured under the compulsory social security scheme and registered at employment offices at the end of the month is expressed as a percentage of the number of insured workers in June of the corresponding year. 1. Only insured workers are include in the count. 2. Excluded are those seeking their first job, re-entrants to the labour force, public servants, domestic workers and apprentices. Denmark … The number of persons insured in trade union unemployment schemes and registered at employment offices expressed as a percentage of the total number of insured trade union members. 1. Only about half the total number of employees are covered by trade union schemes, for example, farm workers are excluded. 2. Those temporarily laid off are included. France … … France does not publish rates of unemployment. The rate published by the EEC represents the published number registered as unemployed at an employment office expressed as a percentage of the total number of employees, employed and unemployed. Persons over the age of 60 who receive an officially guaranteed minimum unemployment benefit are excluded. the basis of calculation of percentage unemployment of each of the countries included in his answer to the hon. Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mr. Hayhoe) on 30th July 1975, indicating the main reasons why they are not strictly comparable with corresponding figures for the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. John FraserThe unemployment rates quoted in my hon. Friend's answer to the hon. Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mr. Hayhoe) were those published by the European Economic Community.
National rates may not in general be comparable because of differences in (1) the classes of people included in the unemployment statistics, (2) the extent and conditions of national insurance schemes which affect the incentive to register and (3) the method of calculating the rate.
Details of the methods used in calculating percentage rates of unemployment, including the United Kingdom, and the main factors affecting comparability with United Kingdom rates are given below, so far as they are known from international sources.
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Country Calculation of unemployment rate Main differences from United Kingdom unemployment statistics Germany … The number unemployed who are available for work of more than 20 hours per week and register at an employment office is expressed as a percentage of the total number of employees, employed and unemployed. 1. Married women are compulsorily insured under the state social security scheme and have an additional incentive to register. This is reflected in the high proportion of unemployed women included in the statistics—over 40 per cent, compared with approximately 20 per cent, in the United Kingdom. 2. Includes part-time workers in employment looking for full-time work. Ireland … … The number of registered unemployed, excluding short-time workers, is expressed as a percentage of the total labour force. 1. Persons working on their own account, family workers and those partially employed are included. 2. The rate is calculated as a percentage of the total labour force including the self-employed. Italy … … The number of unemployed registered at employment offices excluding housewives seeking a first job and pensioners seeking employment, expressed as a percentage of the total labour force. 1. Using the total labour force, including the self-employed, as the divisor reduces the percentage rate compared with the United Kingdom. 2. United Kingdom unemployment statistics include all unemployed housewives registered for full-time employment. Netherlands … The number of registered unemployed is expressed as a percentage of the estimated number of wage and salary earners including the unemployed 1. Unemployed persons need report only once a month in order to remain on the register. 2. Those temporarily laid off are included.