HC Deb 03 August 1978 vol 955 cc583-7W
Mr. Anthony Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number and percentage of unemployed in the London travel-to-work area for the month of June in 1973 and 1978, respectively; and in each case how many were school leavers and how many had been unemployed for more than three months, more than six months and more than one year, respectively.

Mr. Golding

At June 1973, 54,055 people were registered as unemployed in the Greater London area and the unemployment rate was 1.4 per cent. The corresponding figures for June 1978 were 147,883 and 3.8 per cent.

The number of unemployed school leavers in June 1973 was abnormally low following the raising of the minimum school-leaving age in September 1972. Also in 1973, summer school leavers registered at the end of term and so missed the June count. These factors affect the comparison between the figures of 112 school leavers in June 1973 and 5,641 in June 1978.

The numbers unemployed are analysed at quarterly intervals according to the duration of their spell on the register. The following table gives the information for Greater London at July 1973 and July 1978.

NUMBERS UNEMPLOYED 1N THE GREATER LONDON AREA
July 1973
Over 13 and up to 26 weeks 7,794
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks 7,881
Over 52 weeks 8,708
July 1978
Over 13 and up to 26 weeks 27,361
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks 26,458
Over 52 weeks 29,568

Adult students are included in the figures for July 1973 but not for July 1978.

Mr. Trotter

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the average increase in unemployment between 1st March 1974 and the present expressed on (a) weekly, (b) monthly and (c) an annual basis.

Mr. Golding

Between 11th March 1974 and 6th July 1978 the numbers of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain increased at an average rate of 4,100 a week, 17,739 a month or 214,515 a year. The averages have been calculated from the total numbers registered as unemployed, including school leavers. The total for July thus includes summer school leavers not present in the figures for March.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the unemployment figures for the unemployment office areas within Greater London at the latest convenient date and for the same period in 1970, 1973 and 1974.

Employment Office Areas July 1970 July 1973 July 1974 July 1978
Acton 388 361 342 1,071
Barking 611 478 514 1,634
Barnet 241 356 343 870
Battersea 1,360 1,096 1,206 3,726
Beckenham and Penge 481 457 436 1,215
Becontree (opened February 1976) ֵ ֵ ֵ 584
Bermondsey 418 405 341 1,081
Bexley 498 453 429 1,355
Borough 1,098 1,150 1,269 2,744
Brixton 2,914 2,363 2,646 6,813
Bromley 519 698 697 1,444
Camberwell 1,515 1,209 1,325 4,404
Camden Town 1,477 1,282 1,409 3,803
Canning Town 1,052 1,031 929 2,828
Chiswick 255 276 338 826
City of London 706 60 75 40
Croydon 1,453 1,311 1,375 5,261
Dagenham 968 842 886 1,989
Deptford and Greenwich 1,029 956 1,032 3,167
Ealing 726 885 731 2,344
East Ham 844 523 495 2,049
Enfield 410 382 427 1,712
Erith 615 385 284 1,169
Feltham 162 131 141 552
Finchley 436 475 544 1,162
Fulham 1,416 1,367 1,424 4,276
Hackney 1,829 1,551 1,766 5,151
Hainault (opened July 1978) ֵ ֵ ֵ 702
Hammersmith 2,646 2,572 2,367 5,439
Harrow 884 769 787 2,881
Hayes 173 226 187 882
Hendon 466 373 407 1,439
Holloway 1,871 1,683 1,663 5,283
Hornchurch 438 359 398 1,158
Hotel and Catering Trades 236 68 79 1,705
Hounslow 360 394 344 1,715
Ilford 985 981 890 2,133
Kilburn (opened October 1976) ֵ ֵ ֵ 1,446
Kings Cross 956 756 920 2,345
Kingston-on-Thames 661 592 685 1,844
Lewisham 1,934 1,722 1,926 4,386
Leyton and Walthamstow 1,811 1,726 1,751 4,949
Mill Hill 369 292 446 1,027
Mitcham (opened December 1976 ֵ ֵ ֵ 592
Orpington 379 473 458 1,787
Poplar 1,003 1,072 1,090 3,059
Richmond 738 589 716 1,345
Romford 768 604 619 2,747
Ruislip 324 376 349 795
Shoreditch 536 493 538 1,849
Sidcup 541 446 445 1,103
Southall 298 289 298 2,114
St. Marylebone 1,905 1,496 1,360 5,852
Stepney 1,588 1,301 1,309 2,973
Stratford 769 662 610 2,074
Streatham (opened November 1976) ֵ ֵ ֵ 1,085
Sutton 643 797 865 2,298
Tooting 1,778 1,611 1,603 3,540
Tottenham 1,030 771 894 3,603
Uxbridge 297 279 291 1,230
Wembley 463 359 357 1,661
West Drayton (opened January 1978) ֵ ֵ ֵ 220

Mr. Golding,

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27th July 1978; Vol. 954, c. 894], gave the following information:

The table below gives the numbers registered as unemployed for each employment office area within Greater London at the dates specified:

Employment Office Areas July 1970 July 1973 July 1974 July 1978
Westminster 1,450* 2,188* 2,407* 2,579
London PEO (opened June 1977) ֵ ֵ ֵ 1,777
Willesden 1,349 979 815 2,346
Wimbledon 825 669 788 1,739
Wood Green 982 956 991 2,779
Woolwich 1,632 1,293 1,381 4,716
* These figures include some Professional and Executive registrants appropriate to other employment office areas.