§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of redundancies which have occurred in (a) the West Midlands, (b) the 85W Black Country area of the West Midlands and (c) the Walsall travel-to-work area since May 1979; and if he will give the comparable information for the three and a half years prior to May 1979 and the change in percentage terms for the three areas.
§ Mr. WaddingtonThere are no comprehensive statistics of redundancies. The available information on redundancies, involving 10 or more employees, reported to the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur, is given in the following table. Comparable information on redundancies prior to 1977 does not exist.
Redundancies reported as due to occur West Midlands Black Country* Walsall travel-to-work area January 1977-April 1979 21,248 4,518 979 May 1979-September 1982† 171,063 48,154 10,886 Increases (percent)‡ 450 628 659 Notes:
* Wolverhampton, Dudley and Sandwell, and Walsall travel-to-work areas.
† Including provisional figures for September 1982.
‡ Percentage increase in the annual average number of redundancies.