HC Deb 01 February 1984 vol 53 cc231-3W
Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average length of time an unemployed man in Scotland currently spends on the unemployment register.

Mr. Allan Stewart

It is estimated that the median length of unemployment in Scotland for men who ceased being unemployed between 15 July and 13 October 1983, the latest date for which information is available, was 12 weeks. The median is calculated on a new, refined basis, introduced in August 1983, and described in theEmployment Gazette for that month.

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current number of people unemployed in Dundee by post code sector; and if he will specify the broad areas in Dundee covered by each post code.

Mr. Allan Stewart

The following table shows the estimated number of unemployed claimants in the Dundee jobcentre area by postcode sector at 8 December 1983, the

Table 1: 16 and 17 year-olds in Scotland*
Population† At School‡ In Further or Higher

Education║

 Unemployed (July)¶ Unemployed (average)●
Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent.
1975 172,600 64,400 37.3 10,700 6.2 22,000 12.8 — —
1976 174,200 62,400 35.8 11,900 6.8 30,500 17.5 — —
1977 176,800 62,200 35.2 12,200 6.9 38,000 21.5 — —
1978 179,900 61,900 34.4 12,100 6.7 36,500 20.3 — —
1979 181,400 63,300 34.9 12,500 6.9 32,900 18.1 21,900 12.1
1980 182,900 66,600 36.4 14,100 7.7 41,800 22.9 26,700 14.6
1981 185,600 71,100 38.3 14,400 7.8 38,500 20.7 30,900 16.7
1982 187,000 71,500 38.2 17,200 9.2 42,300 22.6 32,900 17.6

latest date for which information is available. I shall write to the hon. Member about the geographical identification of postcode sectors.

Postcode sector Estimated number

of unemployed claimants
DD1 1 89
DD1 2 134
DD1 3 71
DD1 4 104
DD1 5 243
DD2 1 318
DD2 2 669
DD2 3 1,477
DD2 4 1,262
DD2 5 194
DD3 0 1,097
DD3 6 572
DD3 7 700
DD3 8 373
DD3 9 826
DD4 0 2,051
DD4 6 491
DD4 7 301
DD4 8 2,057
DD4 9 1,515
DD5 1 164
DD5 2 254
DD5 3 234
DD5 4 228
DD6 8 148
DD6 9 191
PH14 9 54
Total 15,817

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish, from the 1981 census information for Dundee by district electoral ward, the number of men unemployed for one year or more and the percentage of unemployed men they comprise in each case.

Mr. John MacKay

Information on length of time out of work was not collected in the 1981 census.

Mr. Craigen

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing for each year since 1975 to the latest available date those 16 and 17 year-olds and 18 to 29 year-olds expressed as a number and as a percentage of the total, who were (a) in employment (b) unemployed, (c) on Government training schemes, (d) at school and (e) in further or higher education.

Mr. Allan Stewart

[pursuant to his reply, 19 January 1984, c. 308]: The available information is set out in the following tables.

Table 2: 18 to 29 year-olds in Scotland
Population† At School‡ In Further or Higher

Education║

 Unemployed (July)¶ Unemployed (average)●
Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent.
1975 898,700 1,700 0.2 63,900 7.1 50,600 5.6 — —
1976 917,600 2,000 0.2 64,400 7.0 62,000 6.8 — —
1977 916,600 1,600 0.2 63,600 6.9 74,200 81 — —
1978 921,100 1,700 0.2 64,300 7.0 73,400 8.0 — —
1979 930,600 1,600 0.2 66,100 7.1 75,000 8.1 77,400 8.3
1980 941,800 1,600 0.2 70,200 7.5 96,000 10.2 95,400 10.1
1981 936,300 1,700 0.2 72,200 7.7 136,000 14.5 133,600 14.3
1982 977,000 1,900 0.2 76,000 7.8 151,000 15.5 153,100 15.7
Notes to the tables:
* Age breakdowns of figures for those in employment or on Government training schemes are not available. All percentages relate to the relevant grouping as a percentage of the population in the age group.
† Mid-year estimates.
‡ Pupils at school in September; ages measured at 31 December.
║ Full-time and sandwich students. The age breakdown of students in teacher training is estimated. In Table 2, the age category includes all students aged 18 and over.
¶ Registrant count. July is the only month for which figures are available in each of the years requested. School leaver unemployment tends to peak in July and consequently the figures given for the under-18 age group are not an accurate reflection of the average extent of unemployment during each year as a whole.
● Registrant count, averages of figures for January, April, July and October.