§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of men aged 20 to 39 years in each standard region of Great Britain who in (1) May and (2) November 1971 and 1972 (a) were registered as wholly unemployed, (b) had been registered as wholly unemployed for over four weeks and (c) had been registered as wholly unemployed for over 13 weeks.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithDetailed analyses of the unemployed according to their age and the length of their current spell of unemployment are made only for January and July each year. Following is the available information:
fringe benefits published by Gower Press, a copy of which is in his possession, that present occupational sick pay arrangements are unsatisfactory, he will give consideration to a reappraisal of sick pay provisions to include an examination of 197W the possibility of legislation to compel companies to provide their own schemes: and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir K. JosephI have been asked to reply.
I am aware that there are wide variations in occupational sick pay provision, and welcome further research and discussion. I have no statement to make at present.