HC Deb 15 June 1981 vol 6 cc260-3W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the current level of unemployment for the latest months for which figures are available for the following countries: (a) France, (b) West Germany, (c) Italy, (d) the Netherlands, (e)

Number Unemployed (000s) Percentage Rate
France (1) April 1981 1,724 9.1
West Germany (1) April 1981 e1,155 e5.0
May 1981 e1,203 e5.2
Italy (5) April 1981 1,929 8.7
Netherlands (1) April 1981 e352 e8.2
Belgium (3) April 1981 e380 e13.8
Denmark (4) February 1981 233 8.9
Ireland (3) January 1981 e89 e 12.5
United States (2) April 1981 7,746 7.3
May 1981 8,171 7.6
United Kingdom (1) April 1981 2,452 10.1
May 1981 2,515 10.4

(1) Numbers registered at employment offices expressed as a percentage of total employees.

(2) Labour force sample survey. Rates are calculated as a percentage to total insured population.

(3) Insured unemployed. Rate is calculated as a percentage of total insured population.

(4) Number registered at employment offices expressed as a percentage of total labour force.

(5) Registered unemployed published by SOEC—not seasonally adjusted. The rate is calculated as a percentage of the civilian labour force.

The seasonally adjusted figure and rate has been estimated using the unadjusted figures and the 1980 factor from Main Economic Indicators.

Source: OECD Main Economic Indicators, supplemented by labour attache reports, except Italy and United Kingdom.

Comparable seasonally adjusted unemployment rates are estimated for three of the countries and Great Britain.

Percentage Rate
France April 1981 7.7
West Germany April 1981 4.3
United States April 1981 7.3
Great Britain April 1981 11.1

Source: Bureau of Labour Statistics, US Department of Labour

Mr. Wigley

asked the Secretary of State for employment if he will give figures for Norway, Sweden,

Thousands
Registered unemployed Total population Working population Unemployed as percentage of working population
Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female
Norway
1979 *18 *19 †12,013 †2,046 1,128 781 1.6 2.4
1980 *14 *18 || || 1,142 805 1.2 2.2
Sweden
1979 *44 *44 †4,107 †4,168 2,359 1,909 1.9 2.3
1980 *40 *45 || || 2,367 1,951 1.7 2.3
Denmark
1979 70 68 2,527 2,590 §1,449 §1,150 4.8 5.9
1980 88 74 || || || || *6.0 *6.4
Luxembourg
1979 0.5 0.5 178 185 ¶§110 ¶§47 ¶0.5 ¶1.1
1980 0.5 0.6 || || || || ¶*0.5 ¶*1.2
Austria
1979 *28 *37 †3,546 †3,962 1,904 1,212 1.5 3.1
1980 || || || || || || || ||
Switzerland
1979 ‡10 3,066 3,232 1,938 1,035 ‡0.3
1980 ‡6 || || || || *‡0.2

Belgium, (f) Denmark, (g) the Republic of Ireland and (h) the United States; and how these figures compare with the position in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Peter Morrison

Seasonally adjusted unemployment figures and rates using national definitions, which are not comparable owing to differences in concept, coverage and methods of compilation, for the latest available dates are:

Denmark, Luxembourg, Austria and Switzerland, showing (a) the number of people registered unemployed, (b) the total population, (c) the total working population and (d) the percentage of the working population that is unemployed; and if he will distinguish between numbers of men and women in each case.

Mr. Peter Morrison

[pursuant to his reply]The figures are not fully comparable owing to differences between the countries in statistical definitions and methods of compilation.

Sources: Eurostat "Unemployment" and "Employment and Unemployment"; OECD "Labour Force Statistics" and "Main Economic Indicators"; ILO "Yearbook of Labour Statistics".
Notes: *Includes unregistered unemployed.
†1978.
‡ Separate figures for males and females are not available.
§ Civilian working population only.
|| Not available.
¶ Estimate.
* Provisional.

Employment end unemployment figures are annual averages; population figures are either yearly averages or mid-year estimates.