§ Mr. Eyreasked the Secretary of State for Employment, what was the number of unemployed in the Birmingham travel-to-work area for the month of October 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976; and if he will express them as a percentage of the total employed population in that area.
§ Mr. GoldingFollowing is the information available:
Birmingham travel-to-work area Numbers registered as unemployed Percentage rates of unemployment October 1973 15,287 2.3 October 1974* — — October 1975 43,872 6.4 October 1976 46,027 6.8 * Because of industrial action at local offices of the Employment Service Agency, figures for October 1974 are not available. Rates of unemployment are calculated by expressing the numbers unemployed as percentages of the estimated total number of employees, including the unemployed.