§ 43. Mr. Ripponasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of unemployment in the North-East Region at the latest available date compared with the rate of the same date in each of the years from 1970 to 1976, inclusive.
§ Mr. GoldingInformation for the Northern Region, excluding Cumbria, is readily available only for dates subsequent to the realignment of regional boundaries in 1974. Following is the information for February 1975, 1976 and 1977. I will circulate in theOfficial Report, in due course, the comparable information for the earlier years.
Per cent. February 1975 5.3 February 1976 7.2 February 1977 (provisional) 8.2