HC Deb 05 December 1977 vol 940 cc591-3W
Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which regions of the United Kingdom have shown a seasonally adjusted upward trend in unemployment in each of the past three months; and

work experience, youth employment subsidy, temporary employment subsidy and training opportunity scheme sponsored training centres, respectively.

Mr. Golding

Set out in the table below, for each year since 1970, are the numbers of people registered as unemployed and the estimated numbers of people taken off the register as a result of the job creation and work experience programmes, Community industry, the youth employment and temporary employment subsidies, and the training opportunities scheme:

which regions have shown a downward trend.

Mr. Golding

Seasonally adjusted figures of unemployment by regions are published in the Department of EmploymentGazette and the monthly Press notice on unemployment and vacancy statistics, copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. The direction of changes in these figures is shown below:

August to September September to October October to November
South-East +
East Anglia +
South-West + +
West Midlands +
East Midlands +
Yorkshire and Humberside +
North-West + +
North + + +
Wales + + +
Scotland + + +
N. Ireland + +
+ equals Increase.
— equals Decrease.

Mr. John Moore

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people aged between 16 and 19 years are unemployed; and what percentage of the age group this represents.

Mr. Golding

On 14th July 1977, the latest date for which information is available, there were 456,201 registered unemployed in Great Britain aged under 20. This represents an estimated 19.4 per cent. of all employees—employees in employment and the unemployed—in that age group, the high figure reflecting the inclusion of school leavers at the end of the school year.

Mr. John Moore

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people aged between 16 and 19 years have been unemployed for more than four weeks, for more than three months, for more than six months, and for more than one year.

Mr. Golding

Following is the information for Great Britain at 14th July, the latest date for which the half-yearly age analysis is available:

LENGTH OF TIME REGISTERED AND NUMBER UNEMPLOYED UNDER 20 YEARS OF AGE
Over 4 and up to 13 weeks 152,872
Over 13 and up to 26 weeks 47,163
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks 33,961
Over 52 weeks 19,560

Mr. Wyn Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further steps he proposes to take to reduce unemployment.

Mr. Golding

We intend to continue to work for a return to full employment. This will mean controlling inflation, helping manufacturing industry and commerce to sell more abroad and obtain a larger share of the home market, and with the wealth so created, expanding employment in service industries.

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