§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) when he will relate the numbers of unemployed per
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1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 (estimate) British Rail … 42 43 42 76 72 82 British Gas Corporation* … 70 79 65 106 98 100 National Coal Board† … 330 229 188 219 171 175 Electricity Supply … 92 94 83 77 93 132 Post Office … 202 163 245 260 225 91 British Steel Corporation … N.A. N.A. N.A. 106 124 90–100 N.A.=Figures are not available on a comparable basis. * Figures are not strictly comparable because of contracting out of distribution work up to 1974. † 1971–72 to 1975–76 with estimated figures 1976–77. sons to the local government boundaries in existence since April 1974;
(2) what representations he has received on the subject of collating unemployment figures by new local authority boundaries.
§ Mr. GoldingI am aware of local authorities' interest in the numbers unemployed in their areas and of their wish to obtain information on a local authority area basis. The unemployment statistics maintained by my Department are compiled by counting the numbers of registered for employment at each local employment office and careers office. The compilation of separate figures on a local authority district basis would involve a great deal of extra work at local offices which I do not feel my Department would be justified in undertaking. The figures for employment and careers offices are, however, grouped to correspond as closely as possible to the new counties introduced in April 1974 and these statistics are published each month in the Department of Employment Gazette, the most recent at page 773 of the July issue.