§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons currently drawing unemployment benefit have been unemployed for, respectively, one, two, three, four, five and more years; and how many have been employed for 50 per cent. of those periods, respectively, or less.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe information requested in the first part of the hon. Member's Question is not available, but the numbers of persons involved would be very small indeed, since unemployment benefit is payable for only up to 312 days in any one period of interruption of employment. The numbers of registered unemployed persons who have been unemployed for a period of one year of more as at 3rd November 1975 were, however, as follows:
Duration of unemployment No. of persons unemployed Over 1 year up to 2 years 77,000 Over 2 years up to 3 years 26,000 Over 3 years up to 4 years 15,000 Over 4 years up to 5 years 13,000 Over 5 years 26,000 Source: 5 per cent. sample
The information requested in the second part of the Question is not available.