HC Deb 31 January 1977 vol 925 cc66-8W
Mr. Hicks

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is for each development area of the United Kingdom the total number of persons unemployed and the percentage these figures represent of the total work force of these areas.

Mr. Golding

Following is the information at January 1977. The figures are provisional.

Development Areas Numbers unemployed Percentage rate*
South Western … 19,020 11.8
Merseyside … 80,572 10.6
North Yorkshire … 5,015 6.8
Northern … 107,140 8.0
Scottish … 183,418 8.4
Welsh … 68,023 7.9
* Rates of unemployment are calculated by expressing the numbers unemployed as percentages of the total numbers of employees, including the unemployed.

Mr. Hicks

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is, for the Bodmin, Liskeard, and Looe employment office areas, the Gunnislake section of the Tavistoce Employment area and the Saltash, Torpoint section of the Plyumouth employment area, the total number of people Unemployed and the percentage these figures represent of the total work force for these areas; and what were the corresponding figures for each year since 1970.

Mr. Golding

The following is the information available:

January 1970
Employment office area Numbers unemployed Per cent.
Bodmin 138 3.7
Liskeard 266 10.3
Looe 246
Gunnislake 122 See Note 3
Saltash 207
Devonport (includes Torpoint) 898
January 1971
Employment office area Numbers unemployed Per cent.
Bodmin 133 2.9
Liskeard 292 10.7
Looe 267
Gunnislake 134 See Note 3
Saltash 218
Devonport (includes Torpoint) 908
January 1972
Employment office area Numbers unemployed Per cent.
Bodmin 236 4.9
Liskeard 373 11.8
Looe 271
Gunnislake 129 See Note 3
Saltash 221
Devonport (includes Torpoint) 1,139
January 1973
Employment office area Numbers unemployed Per cent.
Bodmin 128 2.6
Liskeard 261 9.1
Looe 268
Gunnislake 87 See Note 3
Saltash 152
Devonport (includes Torpoint) 874
January 1974
Employment office area Numbers unemployed Percent.
Bodmin 135 2.7
Liskeard 211 7.5
Looe 221
Gunnislake 247 See Note 3
Saltash 148
Devonport (includes Torpoint) 824
January 1976
Employment office area Numbers unemployed Per cent.
Bodmin 451 7.6
Liskeard 490 12.5
Looe 315
Gunnislake * See Note 3
Saltash 467
Devonport (includes Torpoint) 2,188

January 1977†
Employment office area Numbers unemployed Per cent.
Bodmin 569 9.6
Liskeard 641 14.9
Looe 318
Gunnislake * See Note 3
Saltash 475
Devonport (includes Torpoint) 2,586
* Separate figures for Gunnislake are available only to 1974. For later dates the figures are included in those for Tavistock.
† These figures are provisional.

1.Owing to industrial action at local offices of the Employment Service Agency, information for January 1975 is not available.

2. Separate 'figures are not available for Torpoint which is in the Devonport Employment office area.

3. Rates of unemployment are calculated by expressing the number unemployed as a percentage of total employees, including the unemployed. Rates are calculated for travel-to-work areas as align="center" whole but not separately for their constituent parts. The employment office areas of Liskeard and Looe form the Liskeard travel -to-work area and the offices of Gunnislake (now included with Tavistock), Saltash, Devonport together with Tavistock, Plymouth and Plympton form the Plymouth travel-to-work area. The rates for the Plymouth travel-to-work area as a whole were:

January 1970 … … … … 4.1
January 1971 … … … … 4.0
January 1972 … … … … 4.6
January 1973 … … … … 3.4
January 1974 … … … … 3.2
January 1976 … … … … 7.2
January 1977 … … … … 8.3