§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what was the figure for rates as a percentage of average earnings in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979;
(2) what was the figure for rates as a percentage of average earnings in 1950, 1960, 1970 and 1980.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison:Average expenditure on rates, which relates to households over the course of a year, is not comparable with average earnings, which relate to individual employees in a specific pay period. However, rates can be expressed as a percentage of total household expenditure as in the following table, which also shows average household expenditure on rates and average gross weekly earnings.
19W
Average household expenditure on rates* Average gross earnings of full-time employees in April (£/week)舤 £/week As percentage of total expenditure Men‡ Women** 1970 0.84 3.0 29.7 16.2 1974 1.46 3.2 47.7 26.9 1975 1.77 3.3 60.8 37.4 1976 2.05 3.3 71.8 46.2 1977 2.40 3.3 78.6 51.0 1978 2.61 3.3 89.1 56.4 1979 3.12 3.3 101.4 63.0 1980 4.01 3.6 124.5 78.8 *Domestic and water rates, net of rate rebates where applicable. The 1980 figures are provisional.Source: Family Expenditure Survey.†Excluding those whose pay was not affected by absence.Source: New Earnings Survey.†Aged 21 and over.** Aged 18 and over.Comparable figures for earlier years are not available. However, between April 1950 and April 1960, and between April 1960 and April 1970 the increases in rates (as incorporated in the retail prices index were 56 per cent. and 69 per cent. respectively. Average wages and salaries per head (covering both full-time and part-time employees, and relating to calendar years) increased by 82 per cent. between 1950 and 1960, and by 93 per cent. between 1960 and 1970.
June 1979 Number unemployed Percentage rate of unemployment September 1981 Number unemployed Percentage rate of unemployment United Kingdom 1,343,865 5.5 2,998,789 12.4 West Midlands Region 121,521 5.2 349,780 15.1 Wolverhampton travel-to-work area 9,296 6.4 24,564 16.8 Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area 13,240 4.3 46,912 15.4 Walsall travel-to-work area 9,710 5.9 29,083 17.2
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of those registered unemployed for longer than three months, six months, nine months and over 12 months in (a) the west Midlands, (b) the Black Country areas of the west Midlands and (b) the walsall travel-to-work areas; and if he will give comparable figures for June 1979.
West Midlands Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area Wolverhampton travel-to-work area Walsall travel-to-work area Duration July 1979 July 1981 July 1979 July 1981 July 1979 July 1981 July 1979 July 1981 Over 13 and up to 26 weeks 19,707 63,108 2,088 9,021 1,428 4,533 1,385 5,523 Over26 and up to 39 weeks 11,608 49,999 1,194 7,338 747 3,364 798 4,377 Over 39 and up to 52 weeks 9,127 39,079 1,007 5,567 654 2,642 640 3,277 Over 52 weeks 33,753 74,554 3,254 9,877 2,539 5,816 2,394 6,291
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the latest number of those registered as unemployed who are 45 years of age and over in (a) the west Midlands,(b) the Black Country areas of the west Midlands and (c) the walsall travel-to-work areas; and if he will give the figures for June 1979;