HC Deb 19 January 1972 vol 829 cc194-5W
Dr. Marshall

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men and boys were unemployed in January in the area covered by Thorne employment exchange; and what percentage this represents of the total male adult working population in that area.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Information for January is not yet available, but at 6th December, 1971, there were 1,131 males (1,059 men and 72 boys) registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Thorne employment exchange. Rates of unemployment cannot be calculated for Thorne alone, but in the Doncaster, Askern and Thorne travel-to-work area the rate for males was 7.9 per cent.

Dr. Marshall

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in how many employment exchange areas in England was the percentage of male adult unemployment in January worse than in the Thorne employment exchange area; and how many of these are in development areas.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Rates of unemployment can be calculated in some cases for single employment exchange areas and in other cases for groups of these areas which comprise travel-to-work areas. There are 330 areas in England for which rates can be calculated. Information for January, 1972, is not yet available, but at December, 1971, when the rate of unemployment for males in the Doncaster, Askern and Thorne travel-to-work area was 7.9 per cent., there were 77 areas in England where the male rate was higher. Of these, 33 were in the development areas. Rates of unemployment can be calculated for males of all ages, but not separately for adult males.