Unemployment (Hansard, 28 January 1971)

§ Mr. Arthur Lewis
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the rise in unemployment.

§ Mr. Dudley Smith
As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department indicated in the House on 21st January, the January unemploy-

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AT JANUARY

1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961

Total registered unemployed(000s)

South-East 147.3 141.3 137.2 148.2 145.0 76.0 79.3 103.0 185.3 102.9 102.9

East Anglia 18.4 14.7 13.8 13.9 14.6 8.8 9.9 11.3 21.7 11.1 .9

South-West 45.0 42.6 38.2 39.5 41.0 25.9 24.3 27.6 46.8 25.5 22.6

West Midlands 56.9 47.9 43.8 64.3 70.3 16.9 29.6 45.9 112.1 40.4 45.2

East Midlands 37.8 34.2 29.8 29.5 28.0 14.8 13.6 17.8 39.4 16. 13.9

Yorkshire and Humberside 67.3 61.8 57.1 55.2 43.7 24.5 25.6 34.4 61.1 32.4 24.1

North-West 93.1 79.8 74.9 79.5 73.7 45.3 56.9 78.0 117.3 68.0 52.1

North 67.6 67.9 68.5 62.3 52.3 36.6 41.4 56.8 84.4 46.7 37.3

Wales 42.3 42.1 41.6 43.2 42.7 30.4 28.0 40.6 54.9 32.1 30.3

Scotland 115.1 96.0 89.6 95.3 88.9 70.6 79.7 101.4 128.1 85.3 81.5

Northern Ireland 40.9 38.7 41.3 40.1 40.9 33.1 32.8 39.6 45.9 42.1 39.1

Percentage rate for males

South-East 2.7 2.5 2.4 2.6 2.5 1.2 1.2 1.7 3.3 1.7 1.7

East Anglia 3.9 3.1 2.9 2.9 3.0 1.8 2.0

South-West 4.4 4.2 3.7 3.7 3.8 2.4 2.1 2.3 4.5 2.2 1.8

West Midlands 3.3 2.8 2.6 3.8 4.0 0.9 1.5 2.4 6.4 2.1 2.5

East Midlands 3.6 3.3 2.9 2.7 2.5 1.3 1.2 1.8 3.6 1.6 1.2

Yorkshire and Humberside 4.5 4.2 3.9 3.6 2.7 1.5 1.4

North-West 4.4 3.8 3.6 3.6 3.1 1.9 2.3 3.1 4.7 2.6 2.0

North 6.8 7.0 7.1 6.2 4.9 3.4 3.7 5.0 7.8 4.1 3.1

Wales 5.4 5.4 5.3 5.2 5.0 3.4 3.0 4.7 6.4 3.5 3.0

Scotland 7.0 5.9 5.4 5.5 4.9 3.8 4.1 5.3 7.1 4.5 4.2

Northern Ireland 9.9 9.5 10.1 8.8 9.0 7.8 7.5 9.2 10.8 9.7 9.6

Percentage rate for females

South-East 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.8 1.1 0.8 0.8

East Anglia 1.0 0.8 0.8 1.0 1.2 0.7 1.0

South-West 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.6 1.8 1.2 1.3 1.6 1.8 1.5 1.6

West Midlands 1.0 0.8 0.7 1.0 1.2 0.4 0.8 1.2 2.1 1.1 1.1

East Midlands 1.0 0.9 0.7 0.9 1.0 0.5 0.6 0.9 1.5 1.0 0.9

Yorkshire and Humberside 1.2 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.0 0.6 0.8

North-West 1.1 0.9 0.9 1.2 1.5 0.9 1.2 1.7 2.5 1.7 1.2

North 2.1 1.8 1.8 2.0 2.0 1.4 2.0 2.9 3.5 2.3 2.3

Wales 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.8 3.0 2.2 2.3 2.7 3.7 2.8 3.4

Scotland 2.6 2.1 2.2 2.6 2.7 2.2 2.8 3.4 3.7 2.8 2.9

Northern Ireland 4.6 4.1 4.4 6.1 6.2 4.5 4.8 5.9 6.8 6.7 5.4

172W
ment figure is higher than we expected but not too much weight should be put on one month's figures.

§ Mr. Sillars
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the unemployment figures for each planning region of the United Kingdom in January, 1971, the percentage of unemployment of male and female, respectively; and how this compares with the same month in each of the past 10 years.

§ Mr. Dudley Smith
Following is the information available:

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AT JANUARY
	1971	1970	1969	1968	1967	1966	1965	1964	1963	1962	1961
Total registered unemployed(000s)
South-East	147.3	141.3	137.2	148.2	145.0	76.0	79.3	103.0	185.3	102.9	102.9
East Anglia	18.4	14.7	13.8	13.9	14.6	8.8	9.9	11.3	21.7	11.1	.9
South-West	45.0	42.6	38.2	39.5	41.0	25.9	24.3	27.6	46.8	25.5	22.6
West Midlands	56.9	47.9	43.8	64.3	70.3	16.9	29.6	45.9	112.1	40.4	45.2
East Midlands	37.8	34.2	29.8	29.5	28.0	14.8	13.6	17.8	39.4	16.	13.9
Yorkshire and Humberside	67.3	61.8	57.1	55.2	43.7	24.5	25.6	34.4	61.1	32.4	24.1
North-West	93.1	79.8	74.9	79.5	73.7	45.3	56.9	78.0	117.3	68.0	52.1
North	67.6	67.9	68.5	62.3	52.3	36.6	41.4	56.8	84.4	46.7	37.3
Wales	42.3	42.1	41.6	43.2	42.7	30.4	28.0	40.6	54.9	32.1	30.3
Scotland	115.1	96.0	89.6	95.3	88.9	70.6	79.7	101.4	128.1	85.3	81.5
Northern Ireland	40.9	38.7	41.3	40.1	40.9	33.1	32.8	39.6	45.9	42.1	39.1
Percentage rate for males
South-East	2.7	2.5	2.4	2.6	2.5	1.2	1.2	1.7	3.3	1.7	1.7
East Anglia	3.9	3.1	2.9	2.9	3.0	1.8	2.0
South-West	4.4	4.2	3.7	3.7	3.8	2.4	2.1	2.3	4.5	2.2	1.8
West Midlands	3.3	2.8	2.6	3.8	4.0	0.9	1.5	2.4	6.4	2.1	2.5
East Midlands	3.6	3.3	2.9	2.7	2.5	1.3	1.2	1.8	3.6	1.6	1.2
Yorkshire and Humberside	4.5	4.2	3.9	3.6	2.7	1.5	1.4
North-West	4.4	3.8	3.6	3.6	3.1	1.9	2.3	3.1	4.7	2.6	2.0
North	6.8	7.0	7.1	6.2	4.9	3.4	3.7	5.0	7.8	4.1	3.1
Wales	5.4	5.4	5.3	5.2	5.0	3.4	3.0	4.7	6.4	3.5	3.0
Scotland	7.0	5.9	5.4	5.5	4.9	3.8	4.1	5.3	7.1	4.5	4.2
Northern Ireland	9.9	9.5	10.1	8.8	9.0	7.8	7.5	9.2	10.8	9.7	9.6
Percentage rate for females
South-East	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.5	0.6	0.8	1.1	0.8	0.8
East Anglia	1.0	0.8	0.8	1.0	1.2	0.7	1.0
South-West	1.6	1.5	1.4	1.6	1.8	1.2	1.3	1.6	1.8	1.5	1.6
West Midlands	1.0	0.8	0.7	1.0	1.2	0.4	0.8	1.2	2.1	1.1	1.1
East Midlands	1.0	0.9	0.7	0.9	1.0	0.5	0.6	0.9	1.5	1.0	0.9
Yorkshire and Humberside	1.2	0.9	0.9	1.0	1.0	0.6	0.8
North-West	1.1	0.9	0.9	1.2	1.5	0.9	1.2	1.7	2.5	1.7	1.2
North	2.1	1.8	1.8	2.0	2.0	1.4	2.0	2.9	3.5	2.3	2.3
Wales	2.3	2.2	2.2	2.8	3.0	2.2	2.3	2.7	3.7	2.8	3.4
Scotland	2.6	2.1	2.2	2.6	2.7	2.2	2.8	3.4	3.7	2.8	2.9
Northern Ireland	4.6	4.1	4.4	6.1	6.2	4.5	4.8	5.9	6.8	6.7	5.4