§ 13. Mr. David EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of employment in the United Kingdom.
§ 14. Mr. Roger KingTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the size of the employed labour force in December 1983, December 1986 and December 1988; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FowlerThe work force in employment in the United Kingdom was 25,739,000 in June 1988—the highest level on record. This compares with 24,041,000 in December 1983 and 24,982,000 in December 1986. In December 1979 the work force in employment was 25,486,000—about a quarter of a million less than latest estimates.
§ 18. Mr. Ken HargreavesTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment in Lancashire.
§ Mr. LeeIn November 1988 the level of unemployment in Lancashire was 48,039—a fall of 14,787 over the last 12 months.
§ 20. Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment in how many parliamentary constituencies unemployment fell by 50 per cent, or more between September 1983 and September 1988.
§ Mr. NichollsBetween September 1983 and September 1988 unemployment fell by 50 per cent, or more in 44 parliamentary constituencies in Great Britain.
§ 30. Mr. SummersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people classed as long-term unemployed were without jobs in December 1988 and December 1983; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeUnemployment figures are analysed by duration quarterly. In October 1988 the number of unemployed claimants who had been unemployed for one year or more in the United Kingdom was 885,504 compared with 1,142,899 in October 1983—a fall of 257,395 over the period. This comparison is slightly affected by changes in the coverage of the count.
§ 41. Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those in employment in the north-west are in manufacturing industries; and what was the comparable figure in 1979.
§ Mr. LeeEstimates of the civilian work force in employment in manufacturing industries in regions are not available as the self-employed and work-related Government training programmes statistics are not analysed in this way.
In June 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, 23 per cent, of the total civilian work force in employment (which is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and participants in work-related Government training programmes) in the north-west region were employed as employees in employment in manufacturing industries. The comparable figure for June 1979 was 34 per cent.
§ 50. Mr. David Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 to 18-year-olds were unemployed in December 1983 and December 1988; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. CopeIn November 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 5,826 people aged under 18 claiming unemployment-related benefits. The recent extension of the guaranteed offer of a YTS place to all those aged under 18 not in full-time education or employment means there is now no need for these young people to be unemployed. Consequently, only a few now remain entitled to unemployment-related benefits following the associated change from September 1988 in the benefit regulations for under 18-year-olds. In December 1983 an estimated 199,600 people under 18 were claiming unemployment-related benefits.
§ 52. Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of change in unemployment levels in the last 12 months in East Anglia.
§ Mr. LeeIn November 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the East Anglia region was 43,500, compared with 61,100 in November 1987, a fall of 17,600 or 28-8 per cent, over the last 12 months.
§ 53. Mr. EvennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment in London.
§ Mr. LeeIn November 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in Greater London was 259,800, a fall of 67,000 over the last 12 months.
§ 54. Sir Marcus FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of unemployment in Yorkshire and Humberside.
§ Mr. LeeIn November 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the Yorkshire and Humberside region was 209,800, a fall of 41,500 over the last 12 months.
§ 65. Mr. Neil HamiltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were self-employed in the United Kingdom in December 1988 and December 1979, respectively; and if he will make a statement.
§ 106. Mr. Robert B. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently self-employed in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeIn June 1988, the latest date for which estimates are available, there were 2,985,000 self-employed in the United Kingdom. In June 1979 there were 1,906,000. Currently 12 per cent, of the work force in employment are self-employed.
§ 69. Miss Emma NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the levels of unemployment in the south-west of England.
§ Mr. LeeIn November of 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the south-west region was 118,700, a fall of 37,200 over the last 12 months.
§ 70. Mr. Andrew MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the levels of unemployment in the east midlands.
§ Mr. LeeIn November 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the east midlands region was 130,900, a fall of 31,100 over the last 12 months.
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§ 85. Mr.IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage change in the level of unemployment in Barnsley since 1985.
§ Mr. LeeIn November 1988 the number of unemployed claimants in Barnsley local authority areas was 12,649, compared with 16,739 in November 1985, a fall of 4,090, or 24.4 per cent., over the three-year period. 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 new benefit regulations for young people aged under 18.
§ 98. Mr. DykesTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the unemployment figures for(a) one year ago, (b) two years ago, (c) three years ago and (d) the latest available date.
§ Mr. LeeThe table shows seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom for November 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.
Unemployed claimants1 November Number 1985 3,052,900 1986 3,086,700 1987 2,604,400 1988 2,108,800 1 Seasonally adjusted, consistent with the current coverage.
§ 103. Mr. HoltTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of unemployment in the northern region of England.
§ Mr. LeeIn November 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the northern region of England was 163,800, a fall of 23,300 over the last 12 months.
§ 104. Mr. KnapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of employment in the west midlands.
§ Mr. LeeIn June 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 2,354,000 people in the civilian work force in employment in the west midlands region. This represents an increase of 234,000, or 11 per cent. since June 1983. The civilian work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and participants in work-related Government training programmes.
§ 107. Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the three industries or services in the United Kingdom which have provided the largest increase in employment over the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeBetween June 1987 and June 1988, the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available, the largest increase in employees in employment in the United Kingdom were observed in the following industries:
Number Per cent. Business Service +93,000 +7.3 Hotels and Catering +49,000 +4.4 Education +34,000 +2.0
§ 110. Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment which travel-to-work area had the lowest166W level of unemployment and which had the highest level of unemployment at the most recent available date; what were their respective levels of unemployment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeIn November 1988 Crawley travel-to-work area had the lowest rate of unemployment at 1.8 per cent. and Cookstown travel-to-work area had the highest rate of unemployment at 29.5 per cent.
§ 112. Mr. William PowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of employment in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. LeeBetween March 1983 and June 1988 the work force in employment in the United Kingdom increased by 2,178,000 to 25,739,000, the highest level on record. This rising trend has now continued for more than five years. The figures have been adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations. 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. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he will do in 1989 to help reduce unemployment in north Devon in general and the Ilfracombe areas specifically.
§ Mr. LeeMy Department operates a wide range of employment, enterprise, and training measures and offers services in support of small firms and tourism, all of which are available to people throughout north Devon, including Ilfracombe.
During the 12 months to November 1988 unemployment in the Devon, North constituency fell by 909–26 per cent. of the November 1987 figure. In the same period unemployment in the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe travel-to-work area has fallen by 713–24 per cent. of the November 1987 figure.