§ Mr. Strangasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number and percentage rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom in November in 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975 and 1980, respectively.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[Pursuant to his reply, 12 December 1980]. The following table gives the numbers registered as unemployment and the percentage rates of unemployment in the United Kingdom at the dates specified.
152W
November each year Number (000) Percentage rate 1950 320 1.5 1955 244 1.1
1960 359 1.6 1965 342 1.4 1970 624 2.7 1975 1,169 5.0 1980 2,163 8.9 NoteThe figures for November 1980 are not strictly comparable with those for the earlier dates because of the introduction 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.
§ Mr. Thorntonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give figures for the United Kingdom, France, West Germany and Italy for each of the last 10 years, or as such figures are available, of the percentage in the working population unemployed.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 12 December 1980]: The available unemployment rates on a comparable basis are given below.
Great Britain France West Germany 1970 3.1 2.6 0.8 1971 3.7 2.8 0.8 1972 4.1 2.9 0.8 1973 2.9 2.8 0.8 1974 2.9 3.0 1.7 1975 4.1 4.3 3.6 1976 5.5 4.7 3.6 1977 6.2 5.0 3.8 1978 6.1 5.4 3.7 1979 5.8 6.2 3.3 September 1980 8.0 (August)6.8 3.5 Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Unemployment on United States definitions as a percentage of civilian labour force.
The figures for Italy have been under review and subject to amendment over the years. The latest figure is 6.0 for July 1980.