§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many young people aged between 18 and 24 years were out of work and claiming benefit in the Cambridge travel-to-work area who had been unemployed in excess of six months, at (i) April 1997, (ii) April 1998 and (iii) October 1998. [72365]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 22 February 1999]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Andrew Lansley, dated 25 February 1999:
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on those claiming benefit in the Cambridge travel-to-work area (TTWA).The information you have requested is derived from the monthly claimant count of people claiming unemployment-related benefits (i.e. Jobseeker's Allowance or National Insurance credits). Essentially, all people who were claiming these benefits on the count day are counted.The date you have requested for those aged 18–24 in the Cambridge TTWA is given below and are not adjusted to take account of seasonal factors.
Cambridge TTWA: Claimant count for over 6 months Age 18–24 April 1997 384 April 1998 216 October 1998 168