HC Deb 26 March 1996 vol 274 cc566-77W
Mr. Robert Ainsworth

To ask the Chancellor of Exchequer what was the average duration of claims for unemployment-related benefits in(a) each standard region of England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland for each major group of the standard occupational classification for each year since 1982; and what proportion each represents of that section of the work force. [21870]

Mrs. Angela Knight

The available information in contained in the following table. Occupational data for the claimant unemployed are not available prior to January 1995. In addition, no information is available on the proportion of the work force that these figures represent.

Average duration of claims for unemployment-related benefits by occupation 1995
Usual occupation Mean duration of claims (weeks) All
SOC Major Group 1—Managers and administrators
South East 31
East Anglia 28
South West 26
West Midlands 29
East Midlands 25
Yorkshire and Humberside 26
North West 25
North 24
Wales 26
Scotland 28
SOC Major Group 2—Professional occupations
South East 27
East Anglia 24
South West 26
West Midlands 26
East Midlands 20
Yorkshire and Humberside 25
North West 21
North 23
Wales 24
Scotland 20
Average duration of claims for unemployment-related benefits by occupation 1995
Usual occupation Mean duration of claims (weeks) All
SOC Major Group 3—Associate professional and technical occupations
South East 32
East Anglia 25
South West 33
West Midlands 35
East Midlands 30
Yorkshire and Humberside 27
North West 29
North 27
Wales 27
Scotland 25
SOC Major Group 4—Clerical and secretarial occupations
South East 31
East Anglia 25
South West 27
West Midlands 32
East Midlands 26
Yorkshire and Humberside 27
North West 28
North 33
Wales 30
Scotland 27
SOC Major Group 5—Craft and related occupations
South East 43
East Anglia 29
South West 33
West Midlands 44
East Midlands 35
Yorkshire and Humberside 30
North West 33
North 25
Wales 32
Scotland 27
SOC Major Group 6—Personal and protective service occupations
South East 31
East Anglia 24
South West 25
West Midlands 33
East Midlands 27
Yorkshire and Humberside 25
North West 29
North 28
Wales 25
Scotland 26
SOC Major Group 7—Sales occupations
South East 34
East Anglia 27
South West 28
West Midlands 32
East Midlands 31
Yorkshire and Humberside 31
North West 31
North 35
Wales 28
Scotland 29
SOC Major Group 8—Plant and machine operatives
South East 45
East Anglia 32
South West 33
West Midlands 43
East Midlands 36
Yorkshire and Humberside 34
North West 41
Average duration of claims for unemployment-related benefits by occupation 1995
Usual occupation Mean duration of claims (weeks) All
North 32
Wales 34
Scotland 32
SOC Major Group 9—Other occupations
South East 45
East Anglia 34
South West 38
West Midlands 50
East Midlands 45
Yorkshire and Humberside 41
North West 52
North 46
Wales 44
Scotland 47
No previous occupation
South East 31
East Anglia 26
South West 24
West Midlands 33
East Midlands 27
Yorkshire and Humberside 25
North West 27
North 28
Wales 25
Scotland 25

Mr. Ainsworth

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average duration of claims for unemployment-related benefits for(a) men aged 20 years and over and (b) women aged 20 years and over in (i) each standard region of England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland for each year since 1982. [21872]

Mrs. Knight

The information requested is contained in the following table. No information is available prior to 1983.

Average duration of claims for unemployment-related benefits by region: 1983–95
Claimants aged 20 and over at end of claim Mean duration of claims (weeks)
Standard region Men Women
1983
South East 28 23
East Anglia 29 24
South West 29 26
West Midlands 40 34
East Midlands 33 27
Yorkshire and Humberside 33 29
North West 36 29
Northern 34 32
Wales 34 28
Scotland 32 28
1984
South East 30 25
East Anglia 28 25
South West 29 27
West Midlands 40 34
East Midlands 32 27
Yorkshire and Humberside 32 30
North West 37 30
Northern 32 31
Average duration of claims for unemployment-related benefits by region: 1983–95
Claimants aged 20 and over at end of claim Mean duration of claims (weeks)
Standard region Men Women
Wales 33 29
Scotland 32 29
1985
South East 30 26
East Anglia 26 24
South West 28 27
West Midlands 40 34
East Midlands 32 28
Yorkshire and Humberside 32 29
North West 38 29
Northern 34 30
Wales 36 29
Scotland 31 27
1986
South East 31 27
East Anglia 28 28
South West 29 27
West Midlands 43 35
East Midlands 36 28
Yorkshire and Humberside 35 30
North West 41 31
Northern 36 34
Wales 41 30
Scotland 33 28
1987
South East 34 28
East Anglia 31 27
South West 31 28
West Midlands 48 36
East Midlands 40 31
Yorkshire and Humberside 40 31
North West 45 33
Northern 40 33
Wales 43 30
Scotland 37 29
1988
South East 39 30
East Anglia 34 29
South West 32 28
West Midlands 56 38
East Midlands 41 31
Yorkshire and Humberside 43 31
North West 47 32
Northern 45 33
Wales 45 29
Scotland 41 30
1989
South East 42 32
East Anglia 36 28
South West 35 30
West Midlands 65 43
East Midlands 45 32
Yorkshire and Humberside 47 35
North West 57 35
Northern 55 40
Wales 51 33
Scotland 56 35
1990
South East 24 18
East Anglia 18 16
South West 19 17
West Midlands 31 23
Average duration of claims for unemployment-related benefits by region: 1983–95
Claimants aged 20 and over at end of claim Mean duration of claims (weeks)
Standard region Men Women
East Midlands 24 19
Yorkshire and Humberside 27 21
North West 33 22
Northern 32 22
Wales 25 17
Scotland 35 22
1991
South East 20 16
East Anglia 19 16
South West 18 17
West Midlands 25 19
East Midlands 22 18
Yorkshire and Humberside 24 21
North West 30 21
Northern 28 22
Wales 23 18
Scotland 29 21
1992
South East 26 22
East Anglia 24 21
South West 25 21
West Midlands 30 25
East Midlands 27 23
Yorkshire and Humberside 28 21
North West 32 23
Northern 28 24
Wales 29 19
Scotland 30 21
1993
South East 34 26
East Anglia 30 24
South West 33 25
West Midlands 37 28
East Midlands 33 26
Yorkshire and Humberside 32 25
North West 37 26
Northern 32 26
Wales 34 24
Scotland 33 23
1994
South East 41 30
East Anglia 34 27
South West 38 28
West Midlands 44 31
East Midlands 38 30
Yorkshire and Humberside 36 26
North West 41 28
Northern 38 27
Wales 38 25
Scotland 37 26
1995
South East 42 30
East Anglia 34 23
South West 35 27
West Midlands 45 31
East Midlands 38 28
Yorkshire and Humberside 35 26
North West 41 27
Northern 35 29
Wales 38 26
Scotland 37 24

Mr. Ainsworth

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) men and (b) women have made (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five or more claims for unemployment-related benefits in (1) each standard region of England, (2) Wales and (3) Scotland since April 1992; and what proportion each represents of the work force. [21432]

Mrs. Knight

[holding answer 19 March 1996]: The information requested is contained in the following table. It is not possible to calculate at this level of detail what proportions these figures represent of the respective parts of the work force.

Number of claimants in Great Britain making one, two, three, four, and more than four claims since April 92
Number of claimants (000s)
1 2 3 4 5+ Total
Men
South East 963 433 184 78 57 1,716
East Anglia 94 43 22 11 11 180
South West 230 106 53 27 24 440
West Midlands 275 125 56 24 19 499
East Midlands 194 88 43 21 17 362
Yorkshire and Humberside 242 120 65 32 33 492
North West 321 161 78 37 35 632
North 150 81 44 22 25 322
Wales 132 69 34 16 15 266
Scotland 244 128 67 35 35 509
Women
South East 574 206 75 28 19 902
East Anglia 58 22 8 4 3 94
South West 145 52 21 9 6 232
West Midlands 165 56 21 7 5 255
East Midlands 119 41 15 6 4 185
Yorkshire and Humberside 152 56 21 9 8 246
North West 197 72 28 12 9 318
North 91 35 14 5 5 149
Wales 81 31 11 5 4 132
Scotland 164 60 26 11 9 271

Mr. Ainsworth

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the mean interval, excluding those with no previous claims, between claims for unemployment-related benefits for(a) men, (b) women and (c) all claimants in (i) each standard region of England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland for each year since 1982. [21434]

Mrs. Knight

[holding answer 19 March 1996]: The following tables contain information on the mean interval between the latest claim and the previous claim, by gender and region, for claims starting in each year between 1993, 1994 and 1995 respectively. Information is not available for earlier years.

Mean interval between latest claim and previous claim
Mean interval between claims (weeks)
Men Women All
1993
South East 73 84 76
East Anglia 67 88 73
South West 65 87 71
West Midlands 70 90 75
East Midlands 70 90 76
Yorkshire and Humberside 62 81 67
North West 62 83 68
Mean interval between latest claim and previous claim
Mean interval between claims (weeks)
Men Women All
Northern 60 81 65
Wales 66 81 70
Scotland 65 84 70
1994
South East 65 79 69
East Anglia 60 80 66
South West 60 84 67
West Midlands 62 85 68
East Midlands 62 91 70
Yorkshire and Humberside 57 84 64
North West 59 82 65
Northern 55 82 61
Wales 60 86 67
Scotland 60 80 66
1995
South East 63 80 68
East Anglia 61 82 67
South West 60 82 66
West Midlands 62 85 68
East Midlands 59 85 66
Yorkshire and Humberside 57 82 63
North West 60 79 65
Northern 52 78 59
Wales 61 84 67
Scotland 57 83 64

Mr. Ainsworth

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) men and (b) women have made (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five or more claims for unemployment-related benefits in the three year period ended for each year from 1982 to 1995 in Great Britain; and what proportion each represents of the work force. [21433]

Mrs. Knight

[holding answer 19 March 1996]: The table shows the number of men and women in Great Britain making one, two, three, four or more than four claims for unemployment-related benefits in each three-year period since 1983, together with the proportion that these represent of the total population of working age over the same time period. No information is available prior to 1983 and no information is available on the corresponding total of the work force.

Number of claims starting within the three-year period
Number of claimants (000s)
1 2 3 4 5+ Total
Men
1983–85 2,592 962 403 171 138 4,268
1984–86 2,669 988 413 176 142 4,388
1985–87 12,523 1993 1422 1176 1150 14,264
1986–88 2,365 932 381 155 119 3,953
1987–89 2,162 789 298 114 81 3,444
1988–90 2,117 777 293 111 74 3,371
1989–91 2,450 955 367 135 86 3,994
1990–92 2,829 1,177 480 186 124 4,796
1991–93 2,926 1,249 512 204 141 5,033
1992–94 2,787 1,213 498 197 143 4,838
1993–95 2,596 1,120 468 186 142 4,512
Women
1983–85 1,679 541 196 69 52 2,537
1984–86 1,721 552 200 71 53 2,596
1985–87 11,753 1578 1206 177 156 12,669
Number of claims starting within the three-year period
Number of claimants (000s)
1 2 3 4 5+ Total
1986–88 1,660 524 179 62 43 2,466
1987–89 1,460 406 128 40 25 2,058
1988–90 1,356 362 104 32 19 1,873
1989–91 1,420 412 128 38 21 2,019
1990–92 1,604 506 168 55 32 2,365
1991–93 1,649 534 187 63 36 2,468
1992–94 1,585 517 182 60 39 2,383
1993–95 1,506 494 170 55 37 2,263
1 Revised from previously published figures.

Number of claimants as a proportion of the working age population
Percentage
Number of claims starting within the three-year period
1 2 3 4 5+ Total
Men
1983–85 13.8 5.1 2.1 0.9 0.7 22.7
1984–86 14.1 5.2 2.2 0.9 0.8 23.1
1985–87 13.3 5.2 2.2 0.9 0.7 22.4
1986–88 12.4 4.9 2.0 0.8 0.6 20.8
1987–89 11.4 4.1 1.6 0.6 0.4 18.1
1988–90 11.1 4.1 1.5 0.6 0.4 17.7
1990–91 12.9 5.0 1.9 0.7 0.5 21.0
1990–92 14.8 6.2 2.5 1.0 0.7 25.2
1991–93 15.3 6.5 2.7 1.1 0.7 26.4
1992–94 14.6 6.3 2.6 1.0 0.7 25.3
1993–95 13.5 5.8 2.4 1.0 0.7 23.5
Women
1983–85 9.8 3.2 1.1 0.4 0.3 14.8
1984–86 10.0 3.2 1.2 0.4 0.3 15.1
1985–87 10.2 3.3 1.2 0.4 0.3 15.5
1986–88 9.6 3.0 1.0 0.4 0.2 14.3
1987–89 8.4 2.3 0.7 0.2 0.1 11.9
1988–90 7.8 2.1 0.6 0.2 0.1 10.8
1989–91 8.2 2.4 0.7 0.2 0.1 11.6

Number of claimants making one, two and more than two claims since January 1995
Number of claimants
Men Women
Usual Occupation 1 2 3+ Total 1 2 3+ Total
SOC major group 1
Managers and administrators
South East 48,020 5,980 820 54,820 19,860 2,400 300 22,560
East Anglia 4,360 640 5,060 1,260 140 1,440
South West 11,460 1,760 220 13,440 3,840 400 4,320
West Midlands 11,120 1,240 120 12,480 3,700 440 4,200
East Midlands 8,200 940 300 9,440 2,400 300 180 2,880
Yorkshire and Humberside 8,940 1,080 220 10,240 2,920 380 3,380
North West 12,460 2,280 280 15,020 4,200 520 140 4,860
North 4,920 940 200 6,060 1,620 340 2,040
Wales 4,680 940 120 5,740 1,480 280 1,760
Scotland 9,580 1,440 200 11,220 3,580 440 100 4,120
SOC major group 2 Professional occupations
South East 27,320 4,560 860 32,740 14,740 2,260 700 17,700
East Anglia 2,340 400 2,800 1,540 220 1,800
South West 6,120 1,380 320 7,820 3,300 540 100 3,940
West Midlands 6,140 940 180 7,260 3,200 620 100 3,920
East Midlands 4,060 740 240 5,040 3,020 560 3,660
Yorkshire and Humberside 5,320 960 320 6,600 3,660 840 200 4,700
North West 7,920 1,400 580 9,900 4,100 860 340 5,300
North 3,880 580 180 4,640 1,920 380 100 2,400
Wales 3,660 440 180 4,280 2,380 560 240 3,180
Scotland 6,300 1,460 400 8,160 4,640 960 240 5,840

Number of claimants as a proportion of the working age population
Percentage
Number of claims starting within the three-year period
1 2 3 4 5+ Total
1990–92 9.3 2.9 1.0 0.3 0.2 13.6
1991–93 9.5 3.1 1.1 0.4 0.2 14.2
1992–94 9.1 3.0 1.0 0.3 0.2 13.7
1993–95 8.6 2.8 1.0 0.3 0.2 13.0

Mr. Ainsworth

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many(a) men and (b) women have made (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five or more claims for unemployment-related benefits in (1) each standard region of England, (2) Wales and (3) Scotland for each major group of the standard occupational classifications since January 1995; and what proportion each represents of that section of the work force; [21435]

(2) how many (a) men and (b) women have made (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five or more claims for unemployment-related benefits in (1) each standard region of England, (2) Wales and (3) Scotland for each major group of the standard occupational classifications for each year since 1982; and what proportion each represents of that section of the work force. [21436]

Mrs. Knight

[holding answer 19 March 1996]: Occupational data for the claimant unemployed are not available prior to January 1995. In addition, due to small sample sizes, it is not possible to provide reliable estimates at the level of detail requested. Hence, the following table shows the extent of the reliable information. No information is available on the proportion these figures represent of the work force.

Number of claimants making one, two and more than two claims since January 1995
Number of claimants
Men Women
Usual Occupation 1 2 3+ Total 1 2 3+ Total
SOC major group 3
Associate professional and technical occupations
South East 36,000 7,020 1,320 44,340 20,940 3,760 960 25,660
East Anglia 2,540 300 160 3,000 1,540 120 1,700
South West 6,740 1,360 300 8,400 3,220 780 100 4,100
West Midlands 6,180 1,000 280 7,460 3,480 480 180 4,140
East Midlands 4,000 700 180 4,880 2,140 380 2,560
Yorkshire and Humberside 5,640 820 280 6,740 2,980 780 3,840
North West 7,980 1,840 460 10,280 4,360 720 240 5,320
North 4,020 1,000 320 5,340 1,500 460 2,040
Wales 3,140 1,120 200 4,460 1,780 460 140 2,380
Scotland 7,000 1,700 460 9,160 4,300 920 280 5,500
SOC major group 4
Clerical and secretarial occupations
South East 54,760 11,780 2,440 68,980 76,780 13,040 2,180 92,000
East Anglia 4,240 1,160 260 5,660 8,060 1,420 260 9,740
South West 11,160 2,460 660 14,280 19,080 3,400 500 22,980
West Midlands 13,640 2,900 820 17,360 19,700 2,600 540 22,840
East Midlands 10,180 2,560 700 13,440 13,440 2,680 460 16,580
Yorkshire and Humberside 13,540 3,520 1,200 18,260 18,220 3,540 800 22,560
North West 19,780 5,060 1,560 26,400 24,140 4,860 1,360 30,360
North 6,340 1,260 460 8,060 11,620 1,860 500 13,980
Wales 5,560 1,440 280 7,280 9,380 1,580 440 11,400
Scotland 10,680 2,800 580 14,060 18,140 3,580 840 22,560
SOC major group 5
Craft and related occupations
South East 109,000 21,720 4,800 135,520 4,820 860 1 5,760
East Anglia 12,100 3,420 860 16,380 700 80 1 820
South West 29,800 8,260 1,740 39,800 1,340 260 1 1,640
West Midlands 34,540 6,900 1,840 43,280 2,700 460 100 3,260
East Midlands 24,420 6,000 1,500 31,920 2,660 400 1 3,120
Yorkshire and Humberside 34,480 9,160 3,420 47,060 2,280 440 1 2,800
North West 40,980 9,040 3,360 53,380 2,800 540 1 3,380
North 24,300 8,000 4,580 36,880 1,140 240 1 1,440
Wales 18,360 5,040 1,440 24,840 720 60 1 780
Scotland 38,540 10,140 4,420 53,100 2,300 340 1 2,660
SOC major group 6
Personal and protective service occupations
South East 33,860 5,840 1,360 41,060 33,100 5,860 760 39,720
East Anglia 2,980 860 200 4,040 4,180 860 1 5,120
South West 9,200 2,440 440 12,080 11,100 2,660 560 14,320
West Midlands 7,500 1,240 420 9,160 9,680 1,800 300 11,780
East Midlands 6,240 1,040 420 7,700 7,680 1,540 340 9,560
Yorkshire and Humberside 8,420 2,320 700 11,440 11,360 2,280 680 14,320
North West 11,100 2,720 600 14,420 13,360 2,560 700 16,620
North 5,960 1,580 240 7,780 7,080 1,560 380 9,020
Wales 4,640 1,300 200 6,140 5,800 1,340 420 7,560
Scotland 10,980 2,680 720 14,380 13,040 2,780 660 16,480
SOC major group 7
Sales occupations
South East 35,220 6,840 1,080 43,140 33,400 6,100 800 40,300
East Anglia 3,360 800 120 4,280 4,380 940 160 5,480
South West 8,960 1,800 440 11,200 10,980 1,960 380 13,320
West Midlands 8,920 1,720 220 10,860 11,440 2,180 200 13,820
East Midlands 6,260 1,120 300 7,680 8,020 1,240 160 9,420
Yorkshire and Humberside 7,400 1,560 400 9,360 11,820 2,040 460 14,320
North West 11,540 2,560 640 14,740 13,160 2,320 600 16,080
North 5,060 1,260 200 6,520 6,900 1,400 100 8,400
Wales 4,180 860 100 5,140 5,540 1,080 180 6,800
Scotland 8,140 1,580 300 10,020 11,580 2,200 380 14,160
SOC major group 8
Plant and machine operatives
South East 52,540 9,480 1,680 63,700 7,820 1,200 280 9,300
Number of claimants making one, two and more than two claims since January 1995
Number of claimants
Men Women
Usual Occupation 1 2 3+ Total 1 2 3+ Total
East Anglia 7,100 1,760 420 9,280 1,080 180 100 1,360
South West 16,660 3,440 1,040 21,140 2,040 240 160 2,440
West Midlands 25,140 4,660 1,100 30,900 5,480 860 200 6,540
East Midlands 15,140 2,880 1,020 19,040 3,280 680 180 4,140
Yorkshire and Humberside 22,500 5,980 1,940 30,420 4,520 1,060 240 5,820
North West 26,060 5,600 1,560 33,220 5,640 1,020 180 6,840
North 12,620 2,960 1,120 16,700 1,740 260 1 2,060
Wales 11,440 2,500 880 14,820 1,420 400 1 1,880
Scotland 19,820 5,040 1,700 26,560 3,960 760 260 4,980
SOC major group 9
Other occupations
South East 80,860 17,680 4,480 103,020 22,400 3,700 880 26,980
East Anglia 12,840 3,700 1,320 17,860 4,220 680 420 5,320
South West 28,140 7,480 2,320 37,940 8,340 1,660 320 10,320
West Midlands 28,300 6,780 1,980 37,060 6,260 1,020 220 7,500
East Midlands 25,460 7,640 2,300 35,400 6,260 1,180 160 7,600
Yorkshire and Humberside 36,660 10,440 3,360 50,460 7,700 1,260 440 9,400
North West 45,220 11,600 3,260 60,080 7,860 1,240 420 9,520
North 26,720 6,460 1,940 35,120 5,620 980 460 7,060
Wales 23,580 6,040 1,580 31,200 5,320 960 180 6,460
Scotland 42,400 10,340 3,380 56,120 10,560 2,400 480 13,440
No previous occupation
South East 41,620 6,820 960 49,400 31,540 4,180 440 36,160
East Anglia 3,620 800 160 4,580 2,560 620 1 3,240
South West 9,100 1,700 240 11,040 7,380 1,260 200 8,840
West Midlands 12,920 2,060 220 15,200 9,960 1,460 160 11,580
East Midlands 8,420 1,500 180 10,100 6,340 760 140 7,240
Yorkshire and Humberside 14,580 2,280 280 17,140 10,460 1,200 200 11,860
North West 18,800 3,360 680 22,840 13,720 2,020 240 15,980
North 9,540 1,660 240 11,440 7,360 1,120 100 8,580
Wales 8,500 1,140 280 9,920 6,520 880 100 7,500
Scotland 13,540 2,460 680 16,680 9,640 1,320 240 11,200
1 Estimates less than 100 are unreliable due to small sample sizes.