HC Deb 09 July 1985 vol 82 cc408-12W
17. Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were out of work in the Staffordshire Moorlands parliamentary constituency at the most recent count; and what was the comparable figure for the same area in the same month in 1974.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 13 June 1985 the number of unemployed claimants in the Staffordshire Moorlands constituency was 3,450. Statistics of unemployment for parliamentary constituencies are derived from the new ward-based system and are available only from June 1983 when it is estimated that unemployment was 3,524.

18. Mr. Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men and women were in (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment in 1979 and at the latest available date in 1985.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The latest available information is from the labour force survey conducted in the spring of 1984. A comparison with the survey conducted in the spring of 1979 is contained in the following table:

Employees Full-time* Great Britain: Thousands Part-time*
Male Female Male Female
Spring 1979 12,866 5,301 239 3,651
Spring 1984 11,197 5,016 452 3,959
* An employee is shown as full-time or part-time according to whether the employee considers the job as a full-time or part-time job.

19. Mr. Ewing

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the work force was unemployed in April 1979; and what is the proportion unemployed at the present time.

Mr. Tom King

On 13 June 1985, the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom was 13.1 per cent. The estimate for April 1979 was 5.2 per cent.

22. Mr. Ron Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of people who have been unemployed for over 12 months; and what was the figure in April 1979.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 11 April 1985 the number of claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for over 12 months was 1,334,000. The corresponding number of unemployed registrants in April 1979 was 367,000.

23. Mr. Andrew MacKay

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 13 June 1985, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,179,000, which represents an unemployment rate of 13.1 per cent.

27. Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his latest estimate of the total number of the working population in employment; and how this figure compares with two years before.

Mr. Alan Clark

In December 1984, the latest date for which information is available, the employed labour force in the United Kingdom (i.e. employees in employment plus the self-employed plus Her Majesty's Forces) was estimated as 24,185,000. The corresponding figure for December 1982 was 23,642,000.

29. Mr. Redmond

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently in work in the United Kingdom; and what were the figures for May 1979.

Mr. Alan Clark

In December 1984, the latest date for which information is available the employed labour force in the United Kingdom (i.e. employees in employment plus the self-employed plus Her Majesty's Forces) was estimated as 24,156,000. The corresponding figure for June 1979 (figures are not available for May) was 25,356,000. The figures have been adjusted to take account of seasonal variations.

30. Mr. Ray Powell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of people who have been unemployed for over 12 months; and what was the figure in April 1979.

40. Mr. Frank Cook

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of people who have been unemployed for over 12 months; and what was the figure in May 1979.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 11 April 1985, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by duration is available, the number of claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for over 12 months was 1,334,161. It is difficult to make a comparison with May 1979 because of the change in the basis of the count in October 1982, and the 1983 Budget provisions for certain men, mainly aged over 60, who are no longer required to sign on in order to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits. The number of registrants who had been unemployed for over 12 months in May 1979 was 366,711.

31. Mr. Flannery

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the work-force was unemployed in May 1979; and what is the proportion unemployed at the present time.

54. Mr. Torney

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the work force was unemployed in May 1979; and what is the proportion unemployed at the present time.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 13 June 1985, the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom was 13.1 per cent., and the corresponding estimate for May 1979 was 5 per cent. The comparison is affected by the 1983 Budget provisions which meant that some men, mainly aged 60 years and over, no longer had to sign on in order to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits.

39. Mr. Boyes

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated rate of unemployment among men over 50 years of age; and how many have been unemployed for over 12 months at the latest available date.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 11 April 1985, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by age and duration is available, the estimated rate of unemployment for men aged over 50 years in the United Kingdom was 14.0 per cent. This figure is provisional. The number of male claimants in this age group who had been unemployed for over one year was 247,600.

43. Mr. Tom Cox

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present number of people under the age of 25 years out of work in the Greater London area.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 11 April 1985, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by age is available, the number of unemployed claimants in Greater London under the age of 25 years was 140,437.

46. Mr. Blair

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current numbers unemployed; and what this is as a proportion of the work force.

59. Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unemployment.

66. Mr. Woodall

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current numbers unemployed; and what this is as a proportion of the work force.

75. Mr. Cohen

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current numbers unemployed; and what this is as a proportion of the work force.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 13 June 1985, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,178,582, Which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 13.1 per cent.

49. Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of people who have been unemployed for more than 52 weeks.

63. Mr. Dixon

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of people who have been unemployed for over 12 months; and what this is as a percentage of those registered unemployed.

64. Mr. Fatchett

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of people who have been unemployed for over 12 months; and what this is as a percentage of those registered unemployed.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 11 April 1985, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by duration is available, the number of claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for over one year was 1,334,161 which was 40.8 per cent. of the total.

55. Mr. Corbett

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of people in Birmingham who have been unemployed for over 12 months; and what this is as a percentage of those registered unemployed.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 11 April 1985, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by duration is available, the number of claimants in the Birmingham local authority district who had been unemployed for over 12 months was 46,813, which was 51.8 per cent. of all claimants in that area.

71. Mr. Marlow

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on his estimate of the numbers who are working who are not currently counted by his Department as being employed.

Mr. Alan Clark

The Department's estimates of employment are intended to be comprehensive and it is not possible to count the numbers who have been excluded but are working.

77. Dr. McDonald

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unemployment in Thurrock.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 13 June 1985, the number of unemployed claimants in Thurrock parliamentary constituency was 5,643.

78. Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the employment areas which have over 2,000 people registered as unemployed and where the rate of unemployment exceeds 15 per cent.

Mr. Alan Clark

On 13 June 1985, the total number of unemployed claimants exceeded 2,000 and the unemployment rate exceeded 15 per cent. in the following travel-to-work areas of Great Britain:

South East

  • Clacton
  • Thanet

East Anglia

  • Wisbech

South West

  • Cinderford and Ross-on-Wye
  • Falmouth
  • Penzance and St. Ives
  • Redruth and Camborne
  • Torbay

West Midlands

  • Birmingham
  • Coventry and Hinckley
  • Dudley and Sandwell
  • Kidderminster
  • Telford and Bridgnorth
  • Walsall
  • Wolverhampton

East Midlands

  • Corby

Yorkshire and Humberside

  • Barnsley
  • Bradford
  • Doncaster
  • Grimsby
  • Hull
  • Rotherham and Mexborough
  • Scunthorpe
  • Sheffield

North West

  • Blackburn
  • Bolton and Bury
  • Liverpool
  • Pendle
  • Rochdale
  • Widnes and Runcorn
  • Wigan and St. Helens
  • Wirral and Chester

North

  • Bishop Auckland
  • Darlington
  • Hartlepool
  • Middlesbrough
  • Morpeth and Ashington
  • Newcastle-upon-Tyne
  • South Tyneside
  • Stockton-on-Tees
  • Sunderland
  • Workington

Wales

  • Aberdare
  • Bangor and Caernarfon
  • Bridgend
  • Ebbw Vale and Abergavenny
  • Haverfordwest
  • Holyhead
  • Llanelli
  • Merthyr and Rhymney
  • Neath and Port Talbot
  • Newport
  • Pontypool and Cwmbran
  • Pontypridd and Rhondda
  • Shotton, Flint and Rhyl
  • South Pembrokeshire
  • Swansea
  • Wrexham

Scotland

  • Alloa
  • Bathgate
  • Cumnock and Sanquhar
  • Dumbarton
  • Dundee
  • Falkirk
  • Glasgow
  • Greenock
  • Invergordon and Dingwall
  • Irvine
  • Kilmarnock
  • Kirkcaldy
  • Lanarkshire