HC Deb 28 November 1979 vol 974 cc654-7W
Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the latest numbers of long-term unemployed by regions, sex and age group.

Mr. Jim Lester

The following tables give for 11 October, the latest date for which the quarterly analysis is available, the number of people who had been registered as unemployed for more than 52 weeks, analysed by region, sex and age group:

MALES
Under 18 18 19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65 and over Total all ages
South-East 122 234 551 3,435 3,764 3,693 6,437 3,496 4,583 7,082 13,715 536 47,648
East Anglia 20 17 48 254 343 335 613 412 599 972 1,838 24 5,475
South-West 50 84 174 1,202 1,299 1,295 2,300 1,309 1,778 2,959 5,856 133 18,439
West Midlands 239 304 590 2,709 2,360 2,285 4,098 2,316 2,906 3,552 5,915 156 27,430
East Midlands 52 76 187 1,136 1,089 1,043 2,171 1,301 1,653 2,153 5,461 161 16,483
Yorkshire and Humberside 86 136 349 1,886 1,703 1,683 3,259 2,061 2,726 3,586 7,097 92 24,664
North-West 496 646 1,278 5,419 4,881 4,454 7,943 4,016 4,735 5,208 7,100 299 46,475
North 163 208 517 2,439 2,235 2,194 3,686 2,227 2,866 3,745 6,033 49 26,362
Wales 79 98 272 1,630 1,732 1,654 2,675 1,348 1,701 2,342 4,056 110 17,697
Scotland 358 322 796 3,669 3,202 3,075 6,137 3,354 3,601 3,979 5,666 115 34,324
Great Britain 1,665 2,125 4,762 23,779 22,658 21,711 39,319 21,840 27,148 35,578 62,737 1,675 264,997
FEMALES
Under 18 18 19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 Total all ages
South-East 114 201 395 1,768 1,140 844 1,445 1,117 1,707 2,775 155 11,661
East Anglia 21 26 56 182 135 93 186 138 216 395 11 1,459
South-West 85 106 173 849 535 343 582 444 689 1,170 56 5,032
West Midlands 256 308 552 1,964 899 589 1,008 692 953 1,311 67 8,599
East Midlands 72 93 232 695 410 316 539 374 507 709 38 3,985
Yorkshire and Humberside 154 171 410 1,313 598 422 667 581 872 1,222 38 6,448
North-West 441 526 878 2,714 1,385 954 1,403 934 1,187 1,800 93 12,315
North 163 166 451 1,405 760 421 666 532 753 972 40 6,329
Wales 122 150 283 1,106 683 478 659 418 512 691 20 5,122
Scotland 338 235 632 2,296 1,486 847 1,521 947 1,201 1,500 83 11,086
Great Britain 1,766 1,982 4,062 14,292 8,031 5,307 8,676 6,177 8,597 12,545 601 72,036

Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ask the Manpower Services Commission to bring forward proposals to assist the long-term unemployed to acquire marketable skills and to become more mobile and adaptable.

Mr. Jim Lester

I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.