§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many vacancies and of what type at present are notified to his offices in (a) the west midlands, (b) the black country area of the region and (c) the Walsall travel-to-work area; what were the figures for May 1979; and what are the percentage differences in the total figures in categories (a), (b) and (c).
§ Mr. Alison[pursuant to his reply, 21 April 1983, c. 145]: The following table gives, for the areas specified, an analysis by major occupational groups of the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at June 1979—
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Notified vacancies remaining unfilled West midlands region Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area Walsall travel-to-work area Wolverhampton travel-to-work area June 1979 March 1983 June 1979 March 1983 June 1979 March 1983 June 1979 March 1983 Managerial (general management) 2 17 — — — — — — Professional and related supporting management and administration 149 129 7 2 — 1 — 1 Professional and related in education, welfare and health 390 508 54 60 31 35 13 81 Literary, artistic and sports 38 96 3 7 — 6 — 13 Professional and related in science, engineering, technology and similar fields 406 308 37 11 16 4 7 7 Managerial (excluding general management) 260 389 20 15 10 16 13 15 Clerical and related 1,933 1,713 249 158 112 100 75 98 Selling 1,106 1,110 102 90 67 71 42 50 Security and protective service 255 75 33 12 5 5 24 2 Catering, cleaning, hairdressing and other personal service 2,424 1,521 205 205 145 100 81 71 Farming, fishing and related 216 104 5 8 18 6 8 10 Materials processing (excluding metal) 223 101 26 8 14 1 5 2 Making and repairing (excluding metal and electrical) 1,117 519 107 64 96 27 58 36 Processing, making, repairing and related (metal and electrical) 4,140 701 679 110 380 59 183 35 Painting, repetitive assembling, product inspecting, packaging and related 828 268 91 34 59 24 19 14 Construction, mining and related not elsewhere classified 697 369 57 91 55 15 27 13 Transport operating, materials moving and storing and related 1,182 251 176 36 95 13 59 23 Miscellaneous (including general labourers) 825 277 64 40 69 25 20 2 Total all occupations Percentage change 16,191 8,456 1,915 951 1,172 508 634 473 -47.8 -50.3 -56.7 -25.4 not available for May—and at March 1983. It also gives the percentage changes in the total numbers between these dates. The figures relate to vacancies notified to jobcentres but not careers offices; vacancies notified to jobcentres are estimated to be about one third of all vacancies in the economy as a whole.
The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to March 1983 the number of people placed in jobs by jobcentres in the west midlands region was 92,826. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.