§ Mr. Dickensasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers in the onshore private sector of the gas industry have been made redundant during the past three years.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Number Percentage rate Percentage change since previous October Male Female Male Female Male Female October each year 1971 715,420 145,382 5.0 1.7 40.4 43.1 1972 678,803 147,493 4.8 1.7 -5.1 1.5 1973 444,779 89,043 3.1 1.0 -34.5 -39.6 1974 529,294 111,503 3.7 1.2 19.0 25.2 1975 888,773 258,496 6.2 2.8 67.9 131.8 1976 1,009,969 367,141 7.0 3.9 13.6 42.0 1977 1,070,770 447,566 7.4 4.6 6.0 21.9 1978 989,710 439,792 6.9 4.5 -7.6 -1.7 1979 925,760 441,879 6.5 4.5 -6.5 -0.5 1980 1,414,191 648,675 9.9 6.5 52.8 46.8 Note: The figures for October 1979 and October 1980 are rot strictly comparable with those for earlier years because of the introduction, in September 1979, of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit. It has been estimated that the resulting spurious effect is an increase of 20,000 or 1½ per cent. on the monthly figures for the country as a whole from October 1979.