§ Sir Gerard Vaughanasked the Paymaster General what was the number and percentage of registered unemployed in Reading in April 1979 and the latest date for which figures are available, showing in both cases those who have been unemployed for over a year; and whether he will also publish the national average unemployment numbers and percentages for the same dates.
§ Mr. LangThe following information is in the Library. The table shows the total number of unemployed claimants and the unemployment rate for the Reading travel-to-work area in January 1986, together with the number of claimants who have been unemployed for over one year at the same date. Comparable figures for April 1979 are not available because of changes in the way figures are collected. However, the table also shows the numbers of unemployed registrants and the unemployment rate for the 495W former Reading travel-to-work area in April 1979. The table also shows the numbers of unemployed claimants, adjusted for discontinuities, in the United Kingdom at April 1979 and January 1986. These are seasonally adjusted and exclude school-leavers.
Unemployed Claimants—January 1986 Number Unemployment Percentage Rate per cent. Unemployed over one year Reading travel-to-work area 10,856 8.0 3,352 Unemployed Registrants—April 1979 Reading old travel-to-work area 4,382 2.5 818
Unemployed Claimants seasonally adjusted, excluding school-leavers United Kingdom Number Unemployment percentage rate April 1979 1,184,600 4.9 January 1986 3,204,900 13.2
§ Sir Gerard Vaughanasked the Paymaster General how many jobs are estimated by his Department to be available in the Reading area.
§ Mr. LangOn 3 January 1986 there were 1,025 unfilled vacancies at the Reading jobcentre and 145 unfilled vacancies at the careers office. These figures cannot be added together because some vacancies are notified to both careers offices and jobcentres.
Morever, they are not a complete record of all vacancies available in the area.
§ Sir Gerard Vaughanasked the Paymaster General how many unemployed persons in Reading are currently registered at jobcentres and careers offices.
§ Mr. LangThe information in respect of registrants at jobcentres is not available, because statistics of those registered at jobcentres do not distinguish those unemployed registrants from employed people seeking a change of employment. However, on 3 January 1986 there were 358 unemployed persons registered at the Reading careers office.
§ Mr. Hancockasked the Paymaster General how many unemployed persons in Portsmouth are currently registered at jobcentres and careers offices.
§ Mr. LangThe information in respect of registrants at jobcentres is not available, because statistics of those registered at jobcentres do not distinguish those unemployed registrants from employed people seeking a change of employment. However, on 3 January 1986 there were 441 unemployed persons registered at the Portsmouth careers office.