§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing, for Scotland, the average percentage total unemployment for each year from 1966 to 1980.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThe following table gives the annual average unemployment rates for Scotland from 1966 to 1979, inclusive.
Year Percentage Rate 1966 2.7 1967 3.7 1968 3.7 1969 3.6 1970 4.2 1971 5.8 1972 6.4 1973 4.5 1974 4.0 1975 5.2 1976 6.9 1977 8.1 1978 8.2 1979 8.0 NOTE: The average for 1979 is not strictly comparable with those for earlier years because of the introduction of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefits. This had the effect of raising the monthly unemployment figures for Scotland by about 2,600 from October 1979.