§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unemployment in Islington, in numbers and percentage terms, respectively; and what has been the increase in numbers and percentage terms, respectively, since May 1979.
§ Mr. AlisonAt January 1983, the number of unemployed claimants in the area covered by the Holloway and Kings Cross jobcentres, which corresponds closely to Islington, was 14,835. Percentage rates of unemployment are not calculated for local areas within Greater London.
Between May 1979 and October 1982 the numbers registered as unemployed (the old basis of the count) in the area increased by 12,095 or 153 per cent. Between October 1982 and January 1983 the numbers of unemployed claimants (the new basis of the count) increased by 694 or 4.9 per cent.
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§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of registered unemployed people in the United Kingdom; and what is his latest estimate of the number of unemployed people who are not registered as such.
§ Mr. AlisonAt 13 January 1983, the number of unemployed claimants (new basis) in the United Kingdom was 3,225,216. Figures on the old basis of registrations are no longer compiled.
In October 1982, the last month in which a count of unemployed registrations was conducted, there was a total of 161,182 people who were registered for full-time work but who were not claiming benefit. This number was seasonally high and is not necessarily representative of other months.
The 1981 European Community labour force survey estimates that in Great Britain in the second quarter of 1981, 400,000 people were seeking work but were not registered as unemployed. Many of these were women seeking part-time work. In addition the survey identified 50,000 people who were not registered as unemployed and were prevented from seeking work by temporary sickness or holiday; such people have not been included in my Department's figures of unregistered unemployment.
On the other hand, surveys suggest that a proportion of those registered as unemployed may not have been actively looking for work or be concerned about being out of work. Estimates range between 10 and 20 per cent. of the registered unemployed. These survey estimates have a degree of uncertainty reflecting sampling errors and other survey difficulties and are not necessarily representative of the current position.
Estimates of the unregistered unemployed in 1981 taking account of information from the 1981 general household survey and 1981 census of population in addition to that from the labour force survey are currently in preparation and will be published in an early edition of the Employment Gazette. These estimates are not expected to differ substantially from the figures in the 1981 labour force survey.
Mr. Ronald W. Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report a breakdown by standard industrial classification of unemployment for the London borough of Hackney and the inner London area as defined by the 12 inner London boroughs for May 1979 and to the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. AlisonThe information is not available for London boroughs. The following table gives for May 1979 and May 1982, the last date for which an industrial analysis was made, the numbers of people registered as unemployed (the old basis of the count) in the Hackney jobcentre area analysed by Orders of the 1968 standard industrial classification. The figures relate to the industries in which the unemployed persons last worked.
Corresponding figures for the inner London area could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Hackney jobcentre area Standard Industrial Classification, 1968 May 1979 May 1982 Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2 18 Mining and quarrying 4 8 Food, drink and tobacco 79 228 Coal and petroleum products 2 3
Standard Industrial Classification, 1968 May 1979 May 1982 Chemicals and allied industries 31 107 Metal manufacture 21 73 Mechanical engineering 40 168 Instrument engineering 15 51 Electrical engineering 61 250 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 5 10 Vehicles 43 63 Metal goods not elsewhere specified 127 292 Textiles 23 103 Leather, leather goods and fur 52 140 Clothing and footwear 351 1,087 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 18 67 Timber, furniture, etc. 203 502 Paper, printing and publishing 80 287 Other manufacturing industries 113 350 Construction 624 1,425 Gas, electricity and water 15 34 Transport and communication 185 485 Distributive trades 435 1,472 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 148 408 Professional and scientific services 227 672 Miscellaneous services 467 1,564 Public administration and defence 187 474 Not classified by industry (including school leavers) 937 3,261 Total 4,495 13,602