HC Deb 25 November 1986 vol 106 cc175-6W
Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest information his Department has on the number of those unemployed in Scotland by social class; and what percentage of each social class these figures represent.

Mr. Lang

The latest available information, which comes from the "Labour Force Survey", is shown in the table below:

Numbers of people without a job and actively looking for work during the week prior to the survey and as a percentage of those economically active in each group Scotland, Spring 1985
Previous Occupations Number Percentage rate
I Professional etc. occupations 1.. 2..
II Intermediate occupations 20,000 4.2
III Skilled occupations 88,000 7.9
IV Partly skilled occupations 51,000 12.7
V Unskilled occupations 35,000 19.6
Not classified 3129,000 2..
All unemployed 4324,000 413.4
1Less than 10,000.
2No meaningful rate can be computed for this group.
3Includes people looking for work for over three years who were not asked about their previous occupation.
4The total number and percentage unemployed according to the "Labour Force Survey" definition of unemployment may differ from the number and percentage unemployed given by the count of claimants at unemployment benefit offices. Differences arise because, for example,

a. some people who were looking for work were not claiming benefit;

b. some people who were claiming benefit were not actively looking for work in the week prior to the survey.

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information is available from the 1981 census on the number and percentage out of work in Dundee by social class.

Mr. Lang

This information is not available in the form requested.