HC Deb 19 December 1988 vol 144 cc96-111W
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of persons currently in employment broken down between the sexes.

Mr. Lee

In June 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the work force in employment in Great Britain was 25,174,000; of which 14,365,000 were males and 10,809,000 were females. The work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self employed, Her Majesty's forces, and participants in work-related Government training programmes.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of (i) employees in employment and (ii) self-employed persons, both separately and together, by region and nationally, in January 1986 and at the latest available date, with the increase in numbers and in percentage terms over this period in each case.

Mr. Lee

There are no estimates for January 1986. The closest date for which figures are available is December 1985, however comparisons of data for December 1985 and June 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, are affected by seasonal factors. The table shows data for December 1985, June 1986 and June 1988 and changes over the period June 1986 to June 1988.

December 1985 June 1986 June 19881
Employees in employment Self employed Total employees in employment and Self employed Employees in employment Self employed Total employees in employment and Self employed Employees in employment Self employed Total employees in employment and Self employed
Region '000s '000s '000s
South East 7,365 904 8,269 7,353 904 8,257 7,568 1,087 8,655
East Anglia 750 110 860 762 105 867 834 134 968
South West 1,548 254 1,802 1,566 256 1,822 1,599 287 1,886
West Midlands 2,025 186 2,211 2,016 187 2,203 2,096 216 2,312
East Midlands 1,502 162 1,664 1,517 167 1,684 1,559 197 1,756
Yorkshire and Humberside 1,795 219 2,014 1,786 216 2,002 1,819 248 2,067
North West 2,297 267 2,564 2,262 267 2,529 2,264 289 2,553
North 1,080 105 1,185 1,078 105 1,183 1,105 112 1,217
Wales 872 150 1,022 861 154 1,015 874 154 1,028
Scotland 1,897 203 2,100 1,887 205 2,092 1,888 202 2,090
Great Britain 21,131 2,558 23,689 21,088 2,567 23,655 21,607 2,925 24,532
1 The latest date for which figures are available.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set out by counties, local authority districts and nationally, the level of unemployment in January 1986 and at the latest available date, with the fall in numbers and in percentage terms in each case.

Mr. Lee

The following information is in the Library. Table A shows the number of unemployed claimants for each county in Great Britain at January 1986 and November 1988 (latest available date), together with the

Table A
The change in the level of unemployment in each county in Great Britain between January 1986 and November 1988
County Unemployed claimants
January 1986 November 1988 Change Per cent. change
Bedfordshire 23,897 10,313 -13,584 -56.8
Berkshire 23,835 9,394 -14,441 -60.6
Buckinghamshire 19,658 7,592 -12,066 -61.4
East Sussex 31,128 15,180 -15,948 -51.2
Essex 66,487 28,889 -37,598 -56.6
Hampshire 63,433 30,032 -33,401 -52.7
Hertfordshire 31,068 13,488 -17,580 -56.6
Isle of Wight 7,551 4,892 -2,659 -35.2
Kent 71,599 32,505 -39,094 -54.6
Oxfordshire 18,188 6,879 -11,309 -62.2
Surrey 22,581 8,771 -13,810 -61.2
West Sussex 19,280 7,175 -12,105 -62.8
Cambridgeshire 25,826 11,380 -14,446 -55.9
Norfolk 37,554 18,920 -18,634 -49.6
Suffolk 24,219 11,344 -12,875 -53.2
Greater London 413,938 253,340 -160,598 -38.8
Avon 48,318 27,709 -20,609 -42.7
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 28,987 17,741 -11,246 -38.8
Devon 52,484 31,398 -21,086 -40.2
Dorset 27,233 11,846 -15,387 -56.5
Gloucestershire 22,291 10,616 -11,675 -52.4
Somerset 18,533 9700 -8,833 -47.7
Wiltshire 22,167 10,080 -12,087 -54.5
Hereford and Worcester 33,314 15,862 -17,452 -52.4
Shropshire 23,314 11,406 -11,098 -51.1
Staffordshire 55,896 29,900 -25,996 -46.5
Warwickshire 23,289 12,215 -11,074 -47.6
West Midlands 220,503 131,612 -88,891 -40.3
Derbyshire 50,462 33,859 -16,603 -32.9
Leicestershire 40,657 21,692 -18,965 -46.7
Lincolnshire 31,064 17,719 -13,345 -43.0
Northamptonshire 26,230 10,706 -15,524 -59.2
Nottinghamshire 61,230 42,580 -18,650 -30.5
Humberside 60,106 37,564 -22,542 -37.5
North Yorkshire 29,589 17,311 -12,278 -41.5
South Yorkshire 107,013 73,024 -33,989 -31.8
West Yorkshire 127,593 77,563 -50,030 -39.2
Cheshire 54,590 31,424 -23,166 -42.4

actual and percentage change over the period. Table B gives the corresponding figures for each local authority district in the United Kingdom and nationally. Unemployment statistics categorised by county are unavailable for Northern Ireland.

The figures are affected by the change in the compilation of the count in March 1986 to reduce over-recording and by the change in the coverage from September 1988 due to the introduction of new benefit regulations for young people aged under 18.

Unemployed claimants
County January 1986 November 1988 Change Per cent. change
Greater Manchester 183,799 116,662 -67,137 -36.5
Lancashire 82,708 48,039 -34,669 -41.9
Merseyside 142,696 98,610 -44,086 30.9
Cumbria 24,359 15,191 -9,168 -37.6
Cleveland 56,424 36,150 -20,274 -35.9
Durham 44,097 27,522 -16,575 -37.6
Northumberland 167,949 12,505 -4,444 -26.2
Tyne and Wear 104,402 70,294 -34,108 -32.7
Clwyd 25,786 14,431 -11,355 -4.0
Dyfed 21,525 14,220 -7,305 -33.9
Gwent 30,718 18,443 -12,275 -40.0
Gwynedd 16,199 10,958 -5,241 -32.4
Mid Glamorgan 37,197 22,612 -14,585 -39.2
Powys 5,188 2,751 -2,437 -47.0
South Glamorgan 27,348 16,814 -10,534 -38.5
West Glamorgan 26,407 15,539 -10,868 -41.2
Borders region 3,882 2,439 -1,443 -37.2
Central region 19,955 12,561 -7,394 -37.1
Dumfries and Galloway region 8,547 6,146 -2,401 -28.1
Fife region 23,153 16,355 -6,798 -29.4
Grampian region 18,941 15,342 -3,599 -19.0
Highland region 14,669 10,753 -3,916 -26.7
Lothian region 48,063 33,525 -14,538 -30.3
Strathclyde region 203,168 144,817 -58,351 -28.7
Tayside region 27,146 18,155 -8,991 -33.1
Orkney Islands 853 718 -135 -15.8
Shetland Islands 805 641 -164 -20.4
Western Isles 1,935 2,149 214 11.1

Table B
The change in the level of unemployment in each local authority district in the United Kingdom and Nationally between January 1986 and November 1988
Unemployed claimants
Local authority districts January 1986 November 1988 Change Percentage change
Luton 10,382 5,270 -5,112 -49.2
Mid Bedfordshire 3,094 1,152 -1,942 -62.8
North Bedfordshire 6,005 2,389 -3,616 -60.2
South Bedfordshire 4,416 1,502 -2,914 -66.0
Bracknell 3,304 1,123 -1,911 -63.0
Newbury 3,378 1,203 -2,175 -64.4
Reading 6,786 2,540 -4,246 -62.6
Slough 4,762 2,183 -2,579 -54.2
Windsor and Maidenhead 3,297 1,326 -1,971 -59.8
Wokingham 2,578 1,019 -1,559 -60.5
Aylesbury Vale 3,861 1,435 -2,426 -62.8
Chiltern 1,763 684 -1,079 -61.2
Milton Keynes 8,688 3,257 -5,431 -62.5
South Buckinghamshire 1,342 571 -771 -57.5
Wycombe 4,004 1,645 -2,359 -58.9
Brighton 10,187 5,798 -4,389 -43.1
Eastbourne 3,450 1,592 -1,858 -53.9
Hastings 4,826 2,021 -2,805 -58.1
Hove 4,673 2,442 -2,231 -47.7
Lewes 2,735 1,245 -1,490 -54.5
Rother 2,573 1,098 -1,475 -57.3
Wealden 2,684 984 -1,700 -63.3
Basildon 9,073 3,914 -5,159 -56.9
Braintree 4,282 1,562 -2,720 -63.5
Brentwood 2,083 824 -1,259 -60.4
Castle Point 3,668 1,441 -2,227 -60.7
Chelmsford 4,378 1,909 -2,469 -56.4
Colchester 6,330 2,841 -3,489 -55.1
Epping Forest 3,962 1,929 -2,033 -51.3
Harlow 4,073 1,805 -2,268 -55.7
Maldon 1,939 699 -1,240 -64.0
Rochford 2,507 971 -1,536 -61.3
Southend-on-Sea 8,841 3,823 -5,018 -56.8
Tendring 6,047 3,169 -2,878 -47.6
Thurrock 7,729 3,440 -4,289 -55.5
Uttlesford 1,575 562 -1,013 -64.3
Basingstoke and Deane 4,168 1,383 -2,785 -66.8
East Hampshire 2,421 1,090 -1,331 -55.0
Eastleigh 3,181 1,364 -1,817 -57.1
Fareham 3,269 1,484 -1,785 -54.6

Unemployed claimants
Local authority districts January 1986 November 1988 Change Percentage change
Gosport 3,729 1,893 -1,836 -49.2
Hart 1,493 633 -860 -57.6
Havant 6,638 2,941 -3,697 -55.7
New Forest 5,192 2,628 -2,564 -49.4
Portsmouth 11,860 6,096 -5,764 -48.6
Rushmoor 2,446 1,090 -1,356 -55.4
Southampton 13,792 7,404 -6,388 -46.3
Test Valley 2,802 1,010 -1,792 -64.0
Winchester 2,442 1,016 -1,426 -58.4
Broxbourne 2,742 1,486 -1,256 -45.8
Dacorum 4,319 1,733 -2,586 -59.9
East Hertfordshire 2,743 1,103 -1,640 -59.8
Hertsmere 2,612 1,217 -1,395 -53.4
North Hertfordshire 3,909 1,582 -2,327 -59.5
St. Albans 3,154 1,324 -1,830 -58.0
Stevenage 3,818 1,428 -2,390 -62.6
Three Rivers 1,908 874 -1,034 -54.2
Watford 2,827 1,430 -1,397 -49.4
Welwyn Hatfield 3,036 1,311 -1,725 -56.8
Medina 4,043 2,666 -1,377 -34.1
South Wight 3,508 2,226 -1,282 -36.6
Ashford 4,108 1,625 -2,483 -60.4
Canterbury 5,884 2,780 -3,104 -52.8
Dartford 3,204 1,512 -1,692 -52.8
Dover 5,291 2,901 -2,390 -45.2
Gillingham 5,201 2,141 -3,060 -58.8
Gravesham 5,202 2,491 -2,711 -52.1
Maidstone 5,039 1,765 -3,274 -65.0
Rochester-upon-Medway 9,332 3,794 -5,538 -59.3
Sevenoaks 3,107 1,401 -1,706 -54.9
Shepway 4,794 2,651 -2,143 -44.7
Swale 5,894 2,871 -3,023 -51.3
Thanet 8,515 4,593 -3,922 -46.1
Tonbridge and Malling 3,150 1,091 -2,059 -65.4
Tonbridge Wells 2,878 889 -1,989 -69.1
Cherwell 3,812 1,391 -2,421 -63.5
Oxford 5,401 2,395 -3,006 -55.7
South Oxfordshire 3,459 1,251 -2,208 -63.8
Vale of White Horse 2,983 974 -2,009 -67.4
West Oxfordshire 2,533 868 -1,665 -65.7
Elmbridge 2,433 957 -1,476 -60.7
Epsom and Ewell 1,416 667 -749 -52.9
Guildford 2,845 1,002 -1,843 -64.8
Mole Valley 1,544 644 -900 -58.3
Reigate and Banstead 2,811 1,049 -1,762 -62.7
Runnymede 1,745 651 -1,094 -62.7
Spelthorne 2,559 934 -1,625 -63.5
Surrey Heath 1,591 541 -1,050 -66
Tandridge 1,681 692 -989 -58.8
Waverley 2,056 767 1,289 -62.7
Woking 1,900 867 -1,033 -54.4
Adur 1,833 498 -1,335 -72.8
Arun 4,027 1,573 -2,454 -60.9
Chichester 2,722 987 -1,735 -63.7
Crawley 2,616 906 -1,710 -65.4
Horsham 2,442 757 -1,685 -69.0
Mid Sussex 2,672 928 -1,744 -65.3
Worthing 2,968 1,526 -1,442 -48.6
Cambridge 3,947 1,933 -2,014 -51.0
East Cambridgeshire 1,518 524 -994 -65.5
Fenland 4,040 1,851 -2,189 -54.2
Huntingdon 4,483 1,910 -2,573 -57.4
Peterborough 9,476 4,284 -5,192 -54.8
South Cambridgeshire 2,362 878 -1,484 -62.8
Breckland 4,703 1,778 -2,925 -62.2
Broadland 3,117 1,389 -1,728 -55.4
Great Yarmouth 6,726 4,405 -2,321 -34.5
North Norfolk 3,898 1,745 -2,153 -55.2
Norwich 9,223 5,037 -4,186 -45.4
South Norfolk 3,394 1,526 -1,868 -55.0
West Norfolk 6,493 3,040 -3,453 -53.2
Babergh 2,599 1,119 -1,480 -56.9
Forest Heath 1,565 698 -867 -55.4
Ipswich 5,956 2,681 -3,275 -55.0
Mid Suffolk 2,099 917 -1,182 -56.3
St. Edmundsbury 3,115 1,290 -1,825 -58.6

Unemployed claimants
Local authority districts January 1986 November 1988 Change Percentage change
Suffolk Coastal 2,971 1,303 -1,668 -56.1
Waveney 5,914 3,336 -2,578 -43.6
City of London 119 69 -50 -42.0
Camden LB 15,736 10,371 -5,365 -34.1
Hackney LB 20,916 14,644 -6,272 -30.0
Hammersmith LB 12,724 8,091 -4,633 -36.4
Haringey LB 17,742 12,270 -5,472 -30.8
Islington LB 16,935 11,297 -5,638 -33.3
Kensington and Chelsea LB 9,849 5,526 -4,323 -43.9
Lambeth LB 26,583 17,209 -9,374 -35.3
Lewisham LB 18,577 12,453 -6,124 -33.0
Newham LB 17,664 11,318 -6,346 -35.9
Southwark LB 21,751 15,295 -6,456 29.7
Tower Hamlets LB 16,275 11,203 -5,072 -31.2
Wandsworth LB 17,021 9,861 -7,160 -42.1
Westminster LB 14,080 7,725 -6,355 -45.1
Barking and Dagenham LB 8,803 4,108 -4,695 -53.3
Barnet LB 11,256 6,427 -4,829 -42.9
Bexley LB 8,817 4,608 -4,209 -47.7
Brent LB 16,801 11,928 -4,873 -29.0
Bromley LB 10,261 5,433 -4,828 -47.1
Croydon LB 14,033 7,489 -6,544 -46.6
Ealing LB 15,334 8,756 -6,578 -42.9
Enfield LB 10,841 6,632 -4,209 -38.8
Greenwich LB 15,677 9,402 -6,275 -40.0
Harrow LB 6,363 3,871 -2,492 -39.2
Havering LB 9,530 4,396 -5,134 -53.9
Hillingdon LB 7,536 3,651 -3,885 -51.6
Hounslow LB 9,646 4,985 -4661 -48.3
Kingston-upon-Thames LB 4,036 1,941 -2,095 -51.9
Merton LB 6,591 3,411 -3,180 -48.3
Redbridge LB 9,441 5,312 -4,129 -43.7
Richmond-upon-Thames LB 5,188 2,803 -2,385 -46.0
Sutton LB 5,261 2,401 -2860 -54.4
Waltham Forest LB 12,551 8,454 -4,097 -32.6
Bath 3,930 2,189 -1,741 -44.3
Bristol 26,915 15,886 -11,029 -41.0
Kingswood 3,282 1,813 -1,469 -44.8
Northavon 4,366 2,354 -2,012 -46.1
Wansdyke 2,537 1,316 -1,221 -48.1
Woodspring 7,288 4,151 -3,137 -43.0
Caradon 3,470 2,233 -1,237 -35.7
Carrick 4,983 2,938 -2,045 -41.0
Kerrier 6,164 3,768 -2,396 -38.9
North Cornwall 3,689 2,284 -1,405 -38.1
Penwith 4,609 3,005 -1,604 -34.8
Restormel 5,937 3,453 -2,484 -41.8
Scilly Isles 135 60 -75 -55.6
East Devon 4,131 2,291 -1,840 -44.5
Exeter 5,258 2,794 -2,464 -46.9
Mid Devon 2,045 1,212 -833 -40.7
North Devon 4,527 2,533 -1,994 -44.1
Plymouth 15,734 11,298 -4,436 -28.2
South Hams 2,756 1,679 -1,077 -39.1
Teignbridge 4,808 2,231 -2,577 -53.6
Torbay 8,715 4,857 -3,858 -44.3
Torridge 2,792 1,451 -1,341 -48.0
West Devon 1,718 1,052 -666 -38.8
Bournemouth 9,791 4,192 -5,599 -57.2
Christchurch 1,462 588 -874 -59.8
North Dorset 1,351 587 -764 -56.6
Poole 5,553 2,262 -3,291 -59.3
Purbeck 1,394 589 -805 -57.8
West Dorset 2,412 1,189 -1,223 -50.7
Weymouth and Portland 3,121 1,601 -1,520 -48.7
Wimborne 2,149 838 -1,311 -61.0
Cheltenham 4,178 2,208 -1,970 -47.2
Cotswold 1,958 786 -1,172 -59.9
Forest of Dean 4,219 1,754 -2,465 -58.4
Gloucester 5,387 2,601 -2,786 -51.7
Stroud 3,888 1,919 -1,969 -50.6
Tewkesbury 2,661 1,348 -1,313 -49.3
Mendip 3,518 1,749 -1,769 -50.3
Sedgemoor 4,566 2,477 -2,089 -45.8
Taunton Deane 4,042 2,057 -1,985 -49.1
West Somerset 1,570 966 -604 -38.5

Unemployed claimants
Local authority districts January 1986 November 1988 Change Percentage change
Yeovil 4,837 2,451 -2,386 -49.3
Kennet 2,196 914 -1,282 -58.4
North Wiltshire 3,744 1,882 -1,862 -49.7
Salisbury 3,633 1,616 -2,017 -55.5
Thamesdown 8,595 3,750 -4,845 -56.4
West Wiltshire 3,999 1,918 -2,081 -52.0
Bromsgrove 4,405 2,313 -2,092 -47.5
Hereford 2,957 1,520 -1,437 -48.6
Leominster 1,753 770 -983 -56.1
Malvern Hills 3,457 1,607 -1,850 -53.5
Redditch 4,870 2,169 -2,701 -55.5
South Herefordshire 2,202 1,021 -1,181 -53.6
Worcester 4,478 2,267 -2,211 -49.4
Wychavon 3,847 1,732 -2,115 -55.0
Wyre Forest 5,345 2,463 -2,882 -53.9
Bridgnorth 2,475 1,062 -1,413 -57.1
North Shropshire 2,227 1,227 -1,000 -44.9
Oswestry 1,640 838 -802 -48.9
Shrewsbury and Atcham 4,479 2,328 -2,151 -48.0
South Shropshire 1,655 770 -885 -53.5
The Wrekin 10,838 5,181 -5,657 -52.2
Cannock Chase 5,706 3,213 -2,493 -43.7
East Staffordshire 5,184 2,634 -2,550 -49.2
Lichfield 4,377 2,182 -2,195 -50.2
Newcastle-under-Lyme 5,816 3,354 -2,462 -42.3
South Staffordshire 5,509 3,126 -2,383 -43.3
Stafford 5,219 2,618 -2,601 -49.8
Staffordshire Moorlands 3,768 1,875 -1,893 -50.2
Stoke-on-Trent 15,381 8,244 -7,137 -46.4
Tamworth 4,936 2,654 -2,282 -46.2
North Warwickshire 3,069 1,730 -1,339 -43.6
Nuneaton 7,046 4,157 -2,889 -41.0
Rugby 4,227 2,039 -2,188 -51.8
Stratford-on-Avon 3,508 1,577 -1,931 -55.1
Warwick 5,439 2,712 -2,727 -50.1
Birmingham 93,238 58,740 -34,498 -37.0
Coventry 26,285 14,861 -11,424 -43.5
Dudley 20,271 11,166 -9,105 -44.9
Sandwell 26,391 15,452 -10,939 -41.5
Solihull 11,226 6,478 -4,748 -42.3
Walsall 20,193 11,154 -9,039 -44.8
Wolverhampton 22,899 13,761 -9,138 -39.9
Amber Valley 4,971 3,227 -1,744 -35.1
Bolsover 4,177 3,273 -904 -21.6
Chesterfield 6,392 4,850 -1,542 -24.1
Derby 14,833 9,807 -5,026 -33.9
Erewash 5,649 3,062 -2,587 -45.8
High Peak 4,131 2,293 -1,838 -44.5
North East Derbyshire 5,325 4,168 -1,157 -21.7
South Derbyshire 2,776 1,754 -1,022 -36.8
West Derbyshire 2,208 1,425 -783 -35.5
Blaby 2,346 1,106 -1,204 -52.9
Charnwood 4,955 2,612 -2,343 -47.3
Harborough 1,771 725 -1,046 -59.1
Hinkley and Bosworth 3,274 1,534 -1,740 -53.2
Leicester 20,520 11,531 -8,989 -43.8
Melton 1,643 742 -901 -54.8
North West Leicestershire 3,630 2,196 -1,434 -39.5
Oadby and Wigston 1,488 754 -734 -49.3
Rutland 1,030 492 -538 -52.2
Boston 3,252 1,442 -1,810 -55.7
East Lindsey 7,012 4,609 -2,403 -34.3
Lincoln 6,101 4,247 -1,854 -30.4
North Kesteven 3,292 1,773 -1,519 -46.1
South Holland 2,820 1,182 -1,638 -58.1
South Kesteven 4,792 2,340 -2,452 -51.2
West Lindsey 3,795 2,126 -1,669 -44.0
Corby 4,913 1,768 -3,145 -64.0
Daventry 2,112 853 -1,259 -59.6
East Northamptonshire 2,038 808 1,230 -60.4
Kettering 3,080 1,341 -1,739 -56.5
Northampton 8,971 3,866 -5,105 -56.9
South Northamptonshire 1,730 580 -1,150 -66.5
Wellingborough 3,386 1,490 -1,896 -56
Ashfield 5,849 4,583 -1,266 -21.6
Bassetlaw 6,772 4,716 -2,056 -30.4

Unemployed claimants
Local authority districts January 1986 November 1988 Change Percentage change
Broxtowe 4,929 2,837 -2,092 -42.4
Gedling 4,674 3,085 -1,589 -34
Mansfield 6,049 5,070 -979 -16.2
Newark 5,206 3,558 -1,648 -31.7
Nottingham 23,946 16,542 -7,404 -30.9
Rushcliffe 3,805 2,189 -1,616 -42.5
Beverley 4,150 2,526 -1,624 -39.1
Boothferry 3,791 2,126 -1,665 -43.9
Cleethorpes 4,557 2,950 -1,607 -35.3
East Yorkshire 3,867 2,359 -1,508 -39
Glanford 3,513 1,960 -1,553 -44.2
Great Grimsby 7,381 5,169 -2,212 -30.0
Holderness 2,501 1,460 -1,041 -41.6
Kingston-upon-Hull 24,843 15,856 -8,987 -36.2
Scunthorpe 5,503 3,158 -2,345 -42.6
Craven 1,576 914 -662 -42.0
Hambleton 2,948 1,576 1,372 46.5
Harrowgate 4,821 2,238 -2,583 -53.6
Richmondshire 1,719 974 -745 -43.3
Ryedale 2,611 1,478 -1,133 -43.4
Scarborough 6,380 4,007 -2,373 -37.2
Selby 3,518 2,195 -1,323 -37.6
York 6,016 3,929 -2,087 -34.7
Barnsley 18,479 12,649 -5,830 -31.6
Doncaster 25,185 16,865 -8,320 -33.0
Rotherham 20,547 13,934 -6,613 -32.2
Sheffield 42,802 29,576 -13,226 -30.9
Bradford 30,965 18,788 -12,177 -39.3
Calderdale 10,588 5,919 -4,669 -44.1
Kirklees 20,857 12,153 -8,704 -41.7
Leeds 44,321 26,795 -17,526 -39.5
Wakefield 20,862 13,908 -6,954 -33.3
Chester 7,149 4,290 -2,858 -40.0
Congleton 2,950 1,609 -1,341 -45.5
Crewe and Nantwich 5,099 3,083 -2,016 -39.5
Ellesmere Port and Neston 6,229 3,435 -2,794 -44.9
Halton 10,940 7,130 -3,810 -34.8
Macclesfield 5,432 2,898 -2,534 -46.7
Vale Royal 6,381 3,347 -3,034 -47.6
Warrington 10,411 5,632 -4,779 -45.9
Bolton 17,348 11,356 -5,992 -34.5
Bury 9,445 5,247 -4,198 -44.5
Manchester 45,567 32,107 -13,460 -29.5
Oldham 13,704 8,633 -5,071 -37.0
Rochdale 14,514 8,964 -5,550 -38.2
Salford 19,920 12,228 -7,692 -38.6
Stockport 14,605 8,108 -6,497 -44.5
Tameside 13,878 8,535 -5,343 -38.5
Trafford 12,606 7,461 -5,145 -40.8
Wigan 22,212 14,023 -8,189 -36.9
Blackburn 9,463 5,638 -3,825 -40.4
Blackpool 12,421 7,579 -4,842 -39.0
Burnley 6,085 3,280 -2,805 -46.1
Chorley 4,529 2,471 -2,058 -45.4
Fylde 2,812 1,437 -1,375 -48.9
Hyndburn 4,151 2,369 -1,782 -42.9
Lancaster 7,581 5,213 -2,368 -31.2
Pendle 4,839 2,330 -2,509 -51.9
Preston 9,126 5,561 -3,565 -39.1
Ribble Valley 1,386 680 -706 -50.9
Rossendale 3,014 1,673 -1,341 -44.5
South Ribble 4,730 2,521 -2,209 -46.7
West Lancashire 7,693 4,601 -3,092 -40.2
Wyre 4,878 2,686 -2,192 -44.9
Knowsley 20,487 13,492 -6,995 -34.1
Liverpool 57,680 42,406 -15,274 -26.5
St. Helens 15,056 9,708 -5,348 -35.5
Sefton 22,378 14,892 -7,486 -33.5
Wirral 27,095 18,112 -8,983 -33.2
Allerdale 5,941 3,743 -2,198 -37.0
Barrow-in-Furness 3,744 2,695 -1,049 -28.0
Carlisle 5,514 3,289 -2,225 -40.4
Copeland 4,327 2,960 -1,367 -31.6
Eden 1,721 845 -876 -50.9
Rhymney Valley 8,055 4,459 -3,596 -44.6
Taff-Ely 5,880 3,647 -2,233 -38.0

Unemployed claimants
Local authority districts January 1986 November 1988 Change Percentage change
Brecknock 1,889 1,066 -823 -43.6
Montgomeryshire 2,302 1,183 -1,119 -48.6
Radnor 997 502 -495 -49.7
Cardiff 20,442 12,604 -7,838 -38.3
Vale of Glamorgan 6,906 4,210 -2,696 -39.0
Afan 3,868 1,916 -1,952 -50.5
Lliw Valley 3,461 2,155 -1,306 -37.7
Neath 4,788 2,580 -2,208 -46.1
Swansea 14,290 8,888 -5,402 -37.8
Berwickshire 699 484 -215 -30.8
Ettrick and Lauderdale 1,293 801 -492 -38.1
Roxburgh 1,351 771 -580 -42.9
Tweedale 539 383 -156 -28.9
Clackmannan 3,324 2,451 -873 -26.3
Falkirk 11,281 6,762 -4,519 -40.1
Stirling 5,350 3,348 -2,002 -37.4
Annandale and Eskdale 2,019 1,188 -831 -41.2
Nithsdale 3,148 2,351 -797 -25.3
Stewartry 1,136 839 -297 -26.1
Wigton 2,244 1,768 -476 -21.2
Dunfermline 8,275 5,927 -2,348 -28.4
Kirkcaldy 12,107 8,507 -3,600 -29.7
North East Fife 2,771 1,921 -850 -30.7
Aberdeen City 8,643 7,263 -1,380 -16.0
Banff and Buchan 3,340 2,609 -731 -21.9
Gordon 1,651 1,372 -279 -16.9
Kincardine and Deeside 1,117 1,013 -104 -9.3
Moray 4,190 3,085 -1,105 -26.4
Badenock and Strathspey 729 483 -246 -33.7
Caithness 1,638 1,339 -299 -18.3
Inverness 3,812 2,987 -825 -21.6
Lochaber 1,866 1,116 -750 -40.2
Nairn 686 590 -96 -14.0
Ross and Cromarty 4,091 2,821 -1,270 -31.0
Skye and Lochalsh 836 610 -226 -27.0
Sutherland 1,011 807 -204 -20.2
East Lothian 3,966 3,137 -829 -20.9
Edinburgh 28,280 20,780 -7,500 -26.5
Midlothian 4,651 3,324 -1,327 -28.5
West Lothian 11,166 6,284 -4,882 -43.7
Argyle and Bute 4,101 3,016 -1,085 -26.5
Bearsden and Milngavie 1,237 902 -335 -27.1
Clydebank 4,238 3,145 -1,093 -25.8
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 4,863 3,152 -1,711 -35.2
Cumnock and Doon Valley 4,764 3,489 -1,275 -26.8
Cunninghame 12,303 8,088 -4,215 -34.3
Dumbarton 6,176 4,372 -1,804 -29.2
East Kilbride 5,329 3,456 -1,873 -35.2
South Lakeland 3,112 1,659 -1,453 -46.7
Hartlepool 9,545 6,278 -3,267 -34.2
Langbaurgh-on-Tees 13,847 8,833 -5,014 -36.2
Middlesbrough 16,875 10,868 -6,007 -35.6
Stockton-on-Tees 16,157 10,171 -5,986 -37.1
Chester-le-Street 3,579 2,215 -1,364 -38.1
Darlington 6,713 4,719 -1,994 -29.7
Derwentside 7,853 4,808 -3,045 -38.8
Durham 4,791 3,280 -1,511 -31.5
Easington 7,211 4,977 -2,234 -31.0
Sedgefield 7,086 3,743 -3,343 -47.2
Teesdale 1,356 733 -623 -45.9
Wear Valley 5,508 3,047 -2,461 -44.7
Alnwick 1,588 1,332 -256 -16.1
Berwick-upon-Tweed 1,423 904 -519 -36.5
Blyth Valley 5,377 3,833 -1,544 -28.7
Castle Morpeth 2,114 1,497 -617 -29.2
Tynedale 2,216 1,310 -906 -40.9
Wansbeck 4,231 3,629 -602 -14.2
Gateshead 17,368 11,341 -6,027 -34.7
Newcastle-upon-Tyne 26,356 18,302 -8,054 -30.6
North Tyneside 15,162 9,987 -5,175 -34.1
South Tyneside 16,084 10,836 -5,248 -32.6
Sunderland 29,432 19,828 -9,604 -32.6
Alyn and Deeside 4,517 2,194 -2,323 -51.4
Colwyn 2,954 1,948 -1,006 -34.1
Delyn 4,793 2,150 -2,643 -55.1
Glyndwr 1,849 1,198 -651 -35.2

Unemployed claimants
Local authority districts January 1986 November 1988 Change Percentage change
Rhuddlan 4,300 2,732 -1,568 -36.5
Wrexham Maelor 7,373 4,209 -3,164 -42.9
Carmarthen 2,564 1,944 -620 -24.2
Ceredigion 3,567 2,438 -1,129 -31.7
Dinefwr 2,054 1,369 -685 -33.4
Llanelli 4,756 2,926 -1,830 -38.5
Preseli Pembrokeshire 5,118 3,378 -1,740 -34.0
South Pembrokeshire 3,466 2,165 -1,301 -37.5
Blaenau Gwent 6,232 3,905 -2,327 -37.3
Islwyn 4,357 2,551 -1,806 -41.5
Monmouth 3,671 2,050 -1,621 -44.2
Newport 10,234 6,180 -4,054 -39.6
Torfaen 6,224 3,757 -2,467 -39.6
Aberconwy 2,903 1,849 -1,054 -36.3
Arfon 4,273 2,993 -1,280 -30.0
Dwyfor 1,730 1,238 -492 -28.4
Meirionnydd 1,946 1,240 -706 36.3
Ynys Môn—Isle of Anglesey 5,347 3,638 -1,709 -32.0
Cynon Valley 4,772 3,364 -1,408 -29.5
Merthyr Tydfil 4,178 2,821 -1,357 -32.5
Ogwr 8,740 4,847 -3,893 -44.5
Rhondda 5,572 3,474 -2,098 -37.7