§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average length of time a person is unemployed in Northern Ireland; and how many are at present unemployed for less than (1) one year, (2)
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Known NPUs for County Council TSG schemes Authority and scheme TSG support in NPU (£ million) Base year Avon—Newfoundland Street Bristol 1989–90 1990–91 1.700 1979 Avon—Avon Ring Road (IA): Hambrook-Badminton Road 1989–90 1990–91 5.410 1979 Avon—Avon Ring Road (IV): Marsham Way-A4 Bath Road — 1990–91 6,400 1979 Avon—Avon RR (IB1): Badminton Road-Westerleigh Road 1989–90 1990–91 5.410 1979 Avon—Avon RR (IB2): Westerleigh Road-Shortwood Road 1989–90 1990–91 26.100 1979 Avon—Avon Ring Road (III): A120 Warmley-Marsham Way 1989–90 1990–91 26.100 1979 Avon—M5-Town Centre Link Weston Super Mare Stage 1 1989–90 1990–91 3.866 1979 Avon—Urban Traffic Control 1989–90 1990–91 3.540 1979 Avon—Weston Super Mare PDR Stages VA & VB — 1990–91 3.866 1979 Bedfordshire—Stagsden Bypass — 1990–91 1.157 1988 Bedfordshire—Shefford/Clifton/Henlow Bypass 1989–90 1990–91 4.610 1979 Berkshire—Sandhurst Crowthorne Bypass — 1990–91 27.884 1988 Berkshire—Slough Bath Road Montem Lane-Wellington Street — 1990–91 11.114 1988 Buckinghamshire—Wing-Milton Keynes Fenny Stratford Bypass 1989–90 1990–91 3.738 1979 two years, (3) three years, (4) four years, (5) five years and (6) more than five years; and, in each group, how many are (a) male and (b) female.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomley[holding answer 13 March 1990]: The estimated average durations of unemployment for those unemployed at 11 January 1990 were as follows:
Average duration in weeks1 Male 76 Female 34 Overall average 60 1 Average duration is taken as the median duration i.e. the spell of unemployment which divides the unemployed into two halves; one half with durations greater than the median and the other half with durations less than the median. Unemployment by sex and duration at 11 January 1990:
Duration of unemployment Male Female Total One year or less 32,066 15,225 47,291 Two years or less2 42,397 18,758 61,155 Three years or less2 48,706 20,404 69,110 Four years or less2 53,599 21,555 75,154 Five years or less2 57,759 22,432 80,191 Over five years 17,808 2,414 20,222 2 These figures are not mutually exclusive. For example, the numbers unemployed three years or less are included in the numbers unemployed four years or less.