§ Mr. Aitkenasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of people unemployed in the Thanet area on 31st December 1975; what percentage this figure is of the total work 224W force; and what were the comparable figures for this period last year.
§ Mr. John FraserOn 11th December 1975, 3,479 people were unemployed in the area covered by Margate, Ramsgate and Sandwich employment offices and the rate of unemployment was 7.8 per cent.
Because of industrial action at local offices of the Employment Service Agency comparable figures for December 1974 are not available, but in November 1974 the number unemployed was 1,895 and the rate of unemployment was 4.2 per cent.