Unemployment (Hansard, 9 December 1971)

§ 30. Mr. Clinton Davis
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the increase in the number of unemployed since 18th June, 1970.

§ Mr. Bryan
Between June, 1970, and November, 1971, the numbers registered as unemployed in Great Britain, including the temporarily stopped and school-leavers, increased by 379,518. The rise in the seasonally adjusted figure for those wholly unemployed was 293,600.

§ 65. Mr. John Page
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied that all those registered as unemployed are seeking unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Bryan
Except for doubtful cases which are referred to the independent adjudicating authorities, I am satisfied that all those registering as unemployed are seeking employment.

§ Mr. Hugh Jenkins
asked the Secretary of State for Employment in which occupations unemployment is most severe: in which there are the highest ratios of persons seeking employment to the number of jobs available; and whether he will give the relevant figures, and state what he proposes to do about the situation revealed by them.

§ Mr. Dudley Smith
There is no obligation on employers to notify their vacancies to my Department. Since the proportions of vacancies which are notified are very variable between the different occupations, the comparison suggested between ratios of the registered unemployed to notified vacancies remaining unfilled is only of limited value. However, for men, the highest ratios in September, 1971 were obtained for labourers, with 326,486 wholly unemployed and 7,140 vacancies, and for clerical workers, with 58,721 wholly unemployed and 4,224 vacancies.
Summaries of the Government's measures to deal with unemployment were 343W given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and my right hon. Friend in the debate on 23rd November. My right hon. Friend will also be issuing shortly proposals on training and manpower services.

§ Mr. Tom King
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what changes he proposes to make in the arrangements for issue of the monthly unemployment figures.

§ Mr. Bryan
From January my right hon. Friend intends to synchronise the issue of the monthly local, regional and national unemployment figures (hitherto issued on different dates) in order to provide a clear picture of the total situation against which the local figures should be interpreted. In future, therefore, these figures will be issued simultaneously, normally on the Thursday, 10 days after the count. In January this will be on Thursday, 20th January.

NUMBERS OF MEN AND WOMEN REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED, AND NOTIFIED VACANCIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN REMAINING UNFILLED, IN DORSET (EXCEPT POOLE) AT SEPTEMBER, 1971, DIVIDED INTO BROAD OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS

Wholly unemployed Unfilled vacancies

Men Women Men Women

Certain engineering, construction, vehicle building, woodworking and printing occupations generally regarded as skilled … … … … … … 198 1 63 2

Labouring and certain analogous occupations generally regarded as unskilled … … … … … 520 43 25 41

All other occupations … … … … … 1,149 279 96 238

Total, all occupations … … … … 1,867 323 184 281

NUMBERS OF MEN AND WOMEN REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED, AND NOTIFIED VACANCIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN REMAINING UNFILLED, IN DORSET (EXCEPT POOLE) AT SEPTEMBER, 1971, DIVIDED INTO BROAD OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS
							Wholly unemployed	Unfilled vacancies
							Men	Women	Men	Women
Certain engineering, construction, vehicle building, woodworking and printing occupations generally regarded as skilled	…	…	…	…	…	…	198	1	63	2
Labouring and certain analogous occupations generally regarded as unskilled	…	…	…	…	…	520	43	25	41
All other occupations	…	…	…	…	…	1,149	279	96	238
Total, all occupations	…	…	…	…	1,867	323	184	281