HC Deb 31 January 2000 vol 343 cc441-2W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claimant-count unemployed people left the UK workforce in order to secure work in other countries during the most recent year for which figures are available. [107231]

Miss Melanie Johnson

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. Dafydd Wigley, dated 31 January 2000: As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on the number of claimant-count unemployed people who left the UK workforce in order to secure work in other countries. The information requested is not available.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the most recent figures for the total number of people in employment and self-employment, as a proportion of the working age population, in(a) England, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales. [107227]

Miss Melanie Johnson

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. Dafydd Wigley, dated 31 January 2000: As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on proportions of working age people in employment. The latest available estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), the main source of labour market data on individuals, for September to November 1999 are: England 75.0 per cent., Wales 69.4 per cent., Scotland 71.8 per cent. These estimates are seasonally adjusted. The available estimate for Northern Ireland is 67.0 per cent. (not seasonally adjusted). These estimates appear in the Labour Market Statistics First Release issued on 19 January. Employment rates express the total in employment as a percentage of all of working age, in each country. Working age is defined as men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59. People aged 16 or over are classed as in employment by the LFS if they have done at least one hour of paid work (as an employee or self-employed) in the week prior to their LFS interview or if they have a job from which they are temporarily away. People who do unpaid work in a family business and people on Government-supported training and employment programmes are also included according to the International Labour Organisation convention.