HC Deb 12 December 1991 vol 200 cc486-7W
Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what target the London Docklands development corporation has for reducing unemployment in the urban development area and in the three London docklands boroughs.

Mr. Key

The corporation has no targets for reducing unemployment but seeks to reduce local unemployment by improving the skills of local residents. New jobs created by the corporation will benefit those living both in the UDA and in the three London boroughs.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the numbers of unemployed people in the urban development area and the three London docklands boroughs when the London Docklands development corporation was set up; and what are they now.

Mr. Key

There are no official figures for the urban development area as a separate area. The corporation estimates that there are about 4,500 unemployed people in the urban development area compared to 3,500 in 1981. However, there has been a fall in the rate of unemployment from 17.8 per cent. to 13.7 per cent. in the same period. Official figures for the three boroughs as a whole are 49,712 and 36,085 respectively.