§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the sustained high levels of unemployment, he will consider publishing the numbers of persons who have been unemployed for: (a) 18 months and (b) 24 months.
§ Mr. GoldingMy Department already publishes a comprehensive analysis of the duration of unemployment each quarter, which classifies the unemployed into 14 duration bands the last of which is for those unemployed for more than one year. I do not consider the extra expense involved in extending these analysis would be justified.