HC Deb 28 November 1972 vol 847 cc80-1W
Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the percentage decrease in total unemployment, male wholly unemployed, and female wholly unemployed, in each planning region of the United Kingdom since 13th March, 1972.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Following is the information:

PROVISIONAL PERCENTAGE CHANGES BETWEEN MARCH AND NOVEMBER, 1972 IN THE NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED*
Males Females Total
South East -20.7 -14.8 -19.9
East Anglia -30.0 -19.2 -28.4
South West -20.2 - 5.6 -17.7
West Midlands -24.8 - 5.1 -22.0
East Midlands -22.9 - 7.0 -20.8
Yorkshire and Humberside -20.5 - 7.2 -18.7
North West -11.3 - 5.2 -10.4
North -14.0 + 1.7 -11.6
Wales -16.6 - 6.6 -14.9
Scotland -15.9 - 9.1 -14.5
Northern Ireland -18.6 + 3.6 -13.3
* The calculations are based on figures which do not include temporarily stopped workers.

Mr. George Cunningham

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the figures for registered unemployed and registered vacancies for men and women separately, in the Islington and Holborn employment exchange area and for Greater London as a whole in each of the last three months.

NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND NOTIFIED VACANCIES REMAINING UNFILLED IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE HOLLOWAY AND KINGS CROSS EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES (WHICH INCLUDES ISLINGTON AND HOLBORN) AND IN GREATER LONDON
Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies
Males Females Males Females
Holloway and Kings Cross
September, 1972 3,217 448 947 870
October, 1972 3,059 385 1,070 852
November, 1972 (provisional) 2,862 409 1,112 809
Greater London
September, 1972 69,267 10,731 24,368 20,902
October, 1972 66,453 10,071 26,422 21,076
November, 1972 (provisional) 64,577 9,734 28,052 20,325

The vacancy statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

The unemployment figures do not include temporarily stopped workers.

Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage increase in Scottish male wholly unemployed in semi-skilled and unskilled categories when comparing the latest available figures with June, 1970.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Excluding certain engineering, construction, vehicle building, woodworking and printing occupations generally regarded as skilled, the numbers of men registered as unemployed in Scotland increased by 52 per cent. between June, 1970 and September, 1972.

Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men registered as unemployed in the Ayr, Cumnock, and Girvan employment exchanges are over 55 years of age; and how this compares with the total of male wholly unemployed in each area.

Mr. Dudley Smith

The following table shows the information for July, 1972, the latest date for which a detailed age analysis of the unemployed is available:

Men aged 55 and over Males of all ages
Ayr 298 1,290
Cumnock 138 498
Girvan 53 234