Mr. J. Enoch Powellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the criterion of ethnic origin in the new series of unemployment statistics which he hopes to introduce in January 1983.
§ Mr. AlisonConsideration is being given to assessing the ethnic origin of unemployed people visually by reference to three categories—(i) African-West Indian, (ii) Asian, and (iii) European, Chinese, Arab and others. Although the method of collection and the categories to be used are new, statistics on ethnic minority unemployment have been collected by my Department since 1963 and published regularly in theDepartment of Employment Gazette.