§ Mr. Madelasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for the number of people, both male and female, currently registered as unemployed in the Bedfordshire, South constituency; what are the latest figures for the number of notified job vacancies, both male and female; and how both these figures compare with 12 months ago.
§ Mr. John FraserIn February 1975, 520 males and 148 females were unemployed in the Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard employment office areas compared with 415 males and 105 females unemployed in February 1974. In November 1974, the latest date for which figures are available, 434 vacancies for males and 135 for females were held at employment offices in the area and 45 vacancies for males and 55 for females were held at careers offices. The comparable figures for November 1974 were 583, 287 95 and 73, respectively. The vacancy statistics relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices and are not a measure of total vacancies. Owing to industrial action at local offices of the Employment Service Agency, vacancy figures for December 1974, January 1975 and February 1975 are not available.