HC Deb 19 December 1980 vol 996 cc379-80W
Mr. Deakins

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were unemployed in the Leyton and Walthamstow area in the latest month for which figures are available; and what were the figures for each of the last five years.

Mr. Jim Lester

The following table gives the numbers registed as unemployed at 13 November 1980 and, where available, at November each year from 1975. The figures relate to the area covered by the Leyton and Leytonstone employment offices, which includes Walthamstow.

November each year
1975 3,286
1976 *
1977 4,531
1978 4,204
1979 3,935
1980 6,846
* Not available.

NoteThe figures for 1979 and 1980 are not strictly comparable with those for the earlier dates because of the introduction, in September 1979, of fothnightly attendance and payment of benefit. Estimates of the effect are not available for local areas but for the country as a whole the monthly unemployment figures are about 20,000 or 1½ per cent. higher than under weeklyartendance.