HC Deb 01 March 1971 vol 812 cc335-6W
Mr. Carter

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many unfilled vacancies there are in the City of Birmingham; and into what employment categories they fall;

(2) into what categories the recent unemployed of the City of Birmingham fall.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Following is the information:

NOTIFIED VACANCIES REMAINING UNFILLED, AND NUMBERS REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED, AT FEBRUARY, 1971 (PROVISIONAL) IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE BIRMINGHAM, ASTON, HANDSWORTH, SELLY OAK, SMALL HEATH AND WASHWOOD HEATH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES
Unfilled vacancies Wholly unemployed
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining and quarrying … … … 3 66
Manufacturing industries 1,505 7,537
Construction … … 153 3,041
Gas, electricity and water 30 123
Transport and communication … … … 88 516
Distributive trades … 460 1,235
Insurance, banking, finance and business services … 145 222
Professional and scientific services … … … 766 357
Miscellaneous services … 382 1,065
Public administration … 104 369
Not classified by industry — 1,377
Total, all industries and services … 3,636 15,908
The numbers registered as wholly unemployed are analysed according to the industry in which they were last employed. Separate analyses showing duration of unemployment are available but not for duration and industry combined. The vacancy statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

Mr. Carter

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are at present unemployed in Birmingham; what this number represents as a percentage of the working population; and how it compares with the figures for the same time in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970, respectively.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Following is the information:

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE BIRMINGHAM TRAVEL-TO-WORK AREA, WHICH IS THE AREA COVERED BY THE BIRMINGHAM, ASTON, BROMSGROVE, COLESHILL, HANDS-WORTH, SELLY OAK, SMALL HEATH, SUTTON COLDFIELD AND WASHWOOD HEATH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES
Number Percentage rate
February, 1971(provisional) … … 18,569 2.7
February, 1970 … 16,279 2.4
February, 1969 … 11,866 1.7
February, 1968 … 21,549 3.2
February, 1967 … 21,461 3.1
February, 1966 … 4,905 0.7
February, 1965 … 5,038 0.7
February, 1964 … 8,952 1.3
February, 1963 … 22,602 3.2
February, 1962 … 14,271 2.0
February, 1961 … 18,159 2.6