§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Employment what increase there has been in unemployment since May 1979 in (a) the West Midlands and (b) the Walsall travel-to-work area; and if he will give the change in percentage terms.
§ Mr. AlisonBetween May 1979 and November 1982 the number of unemployed claimants (new basis) in the West Midlands region increased by 241,400 or 216 per cent. There are no estimates available of the numbers of unemployed claimants for areas smaller than regions for dates prior to October 1982 and comparable increases for the Walsall travel-to-work area cannot, therefore, be calculated.
However, the number registered as unemployed (the old basis of the count) in the Walsall travel-to-work area increased by 23,503 or 279 per cent. between May 1979 and October 1982, the last date for which statistics on the old basis are available. Between October 1982 and November 1982 the number of unemployed claimants in the area decreased by 139 or 0.5 per cent. The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted.