HC Deb 02 December 1980 vol 995 cc55-7W
Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how much unemployment has risen since May 1979 in the Irlam employment office area of the Newton parliamentary constituency.

Mr. Jim Lester

Between May 1979 and November 1980, the provisional increase in the numbers registered as unemployed in the Irlam employment office area was 213. The figures on which the increase is based include school leavers, numerically greater in November than in May. Moreover, they are not adjusted for seasonal influences, which normally lead to unemployment being higher in November than in May.

Additionally, the figures are not strictly comparable because of the introduction, in September 1979, of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit. Estimates of this effect are not available for local areas, but for the country as a whole the monthly unemployment figures from October 1979 are about 20,000 or 1½ per cent, higher than under weekly attendance.

Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how much unemployment has risen since May 1979 in the Warrington travel-to-work area and the Newton le Willows employment office area.

Mr. Jim Lester

Between May 1979 and 1980, the provisional increases in the numbers registered as unemployed in the Warrington travel-to-work area and in the Newton le Willows employment office area were 3,780 and 468, respectively. The figures on which the increase is based include school leavers, numerically greater in November than in May. Moreover, they are not adjusted for seasonal influences, which normally lead to unemployment being higher in November than in May.

Additionally, the figures are not strictly comparable because of the introduction, in September 1979, of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit. Estimates of this effect are not available for local areas but for the country as a whole the monthly unemployment figures from October 1979 are about 20,000 or 1½ per cent, higher than under weekly attendance.

Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how much unemployment has risen since May 1979 in the Leigh travel-to-work area.

Mr. Jim Lester

Between May 1979 and November 1980, the provisional increase in the numbers registered as unemployed in the Leigh travel-to-work area was 2,352. The figures on which the increase is based include school leavers, numerically greater in November than in May. Moreover, they are not adjusted for seasonal influences, which normally lead to unemployment being higher in November than in May.

Additionally, the figures are not strictly comparable because of the introduction, in September 1979, of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit. Estimates of this effect are not available for local areas but for the country as a whole the monthly unemployment figures from October 1979 are about 20,000 or 1½ percent, higher than under weekly attendance.

Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how much unemployment has risen since May 1979 in the St. Helens travel-to-work area.

Mr. Jim Lester

Between May 1979 and November 1980 the provisional increase in the numbers registered as unemployed in the St. Helens employment office area was 3,342. The figures on which the increase is based include school leavers, numerically greater in November than in May. Moreover, they are not adjusted for seasonal influences, which normally lead to unemployment being higher in November than in May.

Additionally, the figures are not strictly comparable because of the introduction, in September 1979, of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit. Estimates of this effect are not available for local areas, but for the country as a whole the monthly unemployment figures from October 1979 are about 20,000 or 1½ per cent, higher than under weekly attendance.

Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (a) if he will publish in the Official Report in league order the combined total of persons unemployed and undergoing National Service in each of the EEC countries, the United States of America, Sweden and Japan; and what percentage of the work force the figures represents; (b) what is the total number of unemployed in each of the EEC countries, the United States of America, Sweden and Japan; and if he will show in league order these figures as a percentage of the total work force in each respective country.

Mr. Jim Lester

Total unemployment figures and rates for these countries are given below for October 1980 in the order requested. However, this ranking cannot be taken as precise as the figures are not directly comparable owing to differences in the concept of unemployment, coverage and methods of compilation.

Number (thousand) Percentage rate
Belgium* 426 10.5
Ireland* 111 9.8
Italy* 1815 8.3
United Kingdom* 2063 7.9
United States† 7482 7.1
France 1585 7.1
Denmark* 184 7.1
Netherlands* 278 5.4
West Germany* 888 3.4
Sweden† 92 2.1
Japan (September)† 1090 1.9
Luxembourg 1 0.8
Source: SOEC Statistical Telegram for EC countries.
OECD main economic indicators for remainder supplemented by labour attache reports.
(*) Registered unemployed. The rates are calculated as percentages of the civilian working population.
(†) Estimates from labour force sample survey. The rates are calculated as percentages of total labour force.

The latest available rates on a comparable basis and seasonally adjusted are given below for September 1980:

per cent.
Great Britain 8.0
United States 7.5
France (August) 6.8
Germany 3.5
Sweden 2.0
Japan 2.0

Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unemployment on US definitions as a percentage of civilian labour force.

No figures are available for the numbers undergoing "National Service".