HC Deb 17 February 1982 vol 18 cc138-40W
Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, pursuant to his written reply to the hon. Member for West Stirlingshire, Official Report, 15 December 1981, column 79, he will list the various surveys which have suggested that some of the registered unemployed are not actively looking for work or are not concerned about being out of work.

Mr. Alison

The surveys are:

  1. (a)The Political and Economic Planning survey "A national survey of the unemployed". This survey of registered unemployment in 1973 found that about 22 per cent, of respondents did not intend to find a job or did not feel it was important to look for a job.
  2. (b)The Department of Health and Social Security "Cohort study of the unemployed" carried out in 1978–79 found that of those out of work at the second interview—four to six months after registration—about 82 per cent. said they were looking for work.
  3. (c)A Policy Studies Institute survey of unemployed carried out in 1979 among minority groups and a parallel group of whites found that up to 14 per cent. of men and up to 22 per cent. of women. varying by ethnic group, were unconcerned about being out of work.
  4. (d)The General Household Survey for the years 1977 to 1980 yields estimates ranging between 10 and 16 per cent. of registered unemployed respondents who were not actively looking for work.
  5. (e)The survey of unemployed claimants carried out in April 1980 in connection with the Department of Employment—Department of Health and Social Security report "Payment of Benefits to Unemployed People" found that 84 per cent. of respondents were trying to lind work.

Among the reasons for not looking for work are age, health, and that the respondents were waiting to take up a job which had been offered. These survey estimates have a degree of uncertainty reflecting sampling errors and other survey variations and are not necessarily representative of the position in 1981–82.

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the United Kingdom percentage rate of unemployment the ethnic minorities make up for men and for women; how many ethnic minority citizens are unemployed in (a) England—men and women,(b) Wales—men and women, and (c) Scotland— men and women; what percentage the ethnic minorities make up of the number of apprenticeships currently in existence; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alison

The following table gives the numbers of ethnic minority group workers registered as unemployed at November 1981, the latest available, and expresses these as percentages of all registered unemployed at the same date.

Unemployed ethnic minority group workers at November 1981
Male Female
Number as a percentage of all males unemployed Number as a percentage of all females unemployed
England 86,661 5.2 32,763 4.9
Wales 432 0.4 108 0.2
Scotland 602 0.3 197 0.2

Figures on the number of apprenticeships taken by the ethnic minorities are not available.

Mr. Winnick

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered unemployed between 16 and 21 years of age there were in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the West Midlands region and (c) the Walsall travel—to—work area in May 1979; what were the comparable figures at the latest available date; and how many of those currently unemployed in these age groups have been unemployed for longer than six months.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1982, c. 99.] The numbers registered as unemployed are analysed by age in January, April, July and October. The following is the information for the age group nearest to that specified at April 1979 and January 1982. The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted.

Unemployed aged under 20 years
April 1979 January 1982 Of whom those unemployed for over 26 weeks
United Kingdom 200,208 548,278 193,176
West Midlands region 18,305 59,237 23,999
Walsall travel-to- work area 1,239 5,248 2,291

School leavers who are unemployed can benefit from taking part in the youth opportunities programme, which provides courses of work experience and training appropriate to their needs.