§ Lord MELCHETTasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is still the case, as the Minister of State, Department of 2081WA Employment (The Earl of Gowrie) stated in the House on 23rd June 1980 (col. 1361), that
the highest historic levels of unemployment yet reached in this country were in 1946 and 1976";and whether they will give the figures of both the total number and percentage unemployed on 24th June 1980, and the nearest convenient equivalent dates in 1976 and 1946.
The Earl of GOWRIEI erred in claiming that,
the highest historic levels of unemployment yet reached in this country were in 1946 and 1976".2082WA I had in mind the high figures in 1947 and in 1977. At 12th June 1980, the number of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain was 1,587,000 (6.7 per cent.). In August 1977 the number was 1,567,000 (6.7 per cent.). The figure originally published for February 1947 was about 1.9 million (12.5 per cent.). Allowances need to be made for changes in the compilation of the figures over this period, as well as for social changes.House adjourned at twenty-five minutes past nine o'clock.