§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how much the standardised rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom differs from that in(a) Germany and (b) the United States of America; and what factors account for the difference.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe latest standardised rates of unemployment published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development for Germany, where unemployment is rising and for the United States of America and the United Kingdom, where unemployment is falling, are listed in the following table. Differences in unemployment rates are due to many factors and these factors vary in their effect from country to country. As mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member's other question on Japan, one of these factors is the particular point reached in a country's economic cycle.
676W
Standardised rate (seasonally adjusted) Per cent. United Kingdom 29.9 Germany1 36.3 United States of America 26.6 1There are no standardised rates available for Unified Germany. Figures relate to what was the former Federal Republic of Germany and will be lower than for the Unified Germany.
2January 1994.
3December 1993.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what multiple the standardised rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom is of that of Japan; and what factors account for the extent of the difference.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe latest figures published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development show that the standardised rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom is about three and one third times greater than in Japan. Among other things, this comparison will be affected by the particular point in the economic cycle reached by each country. It should be noted that the United Kingdom's unemployment rate is falling while Japan's is rising.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how many the number of unemployed has risen since 1990; and when he expects the number to fall back to the 1990 level.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe extent of the available information is given in the following table. It has not been the policy of this or previous Governments to publish forecasts of unemployment, but since the beginning of last year seasonally adjusted claimant unemployment has fallen by 205,000. Since winter 1992–93 there has also been a fall in ILO unemployment. This fall has been reflected in the labour force survey from winter 1992–93 to summer.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment levels (000s) 1990 Latest date Change in level United Kingdom claimant unemployment 21,624 42,788 1,164 Great Britain ILO unemployment1 31,871 52,865 994 1From the ED LFS—Standardised unemployment levels according to ILO definitions. 2January. 3Spring. 4January 1994. 5Summer 1993.