§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in London were unemployed in each year since 1997 according to the(a) claimant count and (b) survey definition; and what proportion this was of total unemployment in the UK on each definition. [177901]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Willetts, dated 15 June 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about measures of unemployment. (177901)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
Table 1 overleaf gives estimates of the number of unemployed people in London as measured by the LFS and expresses them as a percentage of the United Kingdom totals for the 12 month periods ending February in 1997, and each year from 2000 to 2003. Comparable information is not available for 1998 and 1999. As with any statistical sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability.
ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (ISA). Table 2 overleaf gives the annual average numbers of JSA claimants for the London region, also expressing them as a percentage of the United Kingdom totals, for each year from 1997 to 2003.
Table 1: Estimated number of unemployment people London, 12 months ending February in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 Estimate As percentage of UK total 1997 380,000 17.2 2000 258,000 15.3 2001 245,000 16.1 2002 240,000 16.5 2003 254,000 17.0 Source: ONS Labour Force Survey
Table 2: Number of claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance (annual averages) London, 1997–2003 Number As percentage of UK total 1997 269,717 17.0 1998 225,367 16.7 1999 203,133 16.3 2000 174,458 16.0 2001 154,917 16.0 2002 166,000 17.5 2003 170,692 18.3 Source: Jobcentre Plus Administrative system